Lottery Winner Donation Scam
Lottery Winner Donation Scam: How It Works
The scam is trending now in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, but regardless of what country or state you’ve been living in, here is an ingenious approach that scammers take when it comes to lottery winners. The last two names of scammers – or rather the ones they use – are Dave Johnson, Michael J Wiersky, as well and Frances & Patrick Connolly. In this article, we will show you how the scam works and how to find out if a profile is fake.
Take the case of Kelsey Zachow, a real, lucky girl who won 66 million dollars.
Criminals created fake Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter accounts using her credentials. How did they have them? It was an easy thing to find because lottery winners are featured in the news with their success stories (you know those pictures with 6/49 millionaires holding checks, right?). Crooks use not only 6/49 or Powerball millionaires, but also Publishers Clearing House winners, as well.
Using Kelsey’s full name, the crooks posted a generous promise of donating $1,000 from her winnings to the first 75,000 Instagram followers – see the image above.
Alternatively, the scammers send emails offering the donation (amount varies). In order to do that, they ask the victims for their bank account, in order to transfer the promised money. In exchange, they are required to pay ‘a small tax’ that apparently is needed for international donations.
Needless to say, the ‘lucky’ followers were rather unfortunate for giving their personal information away. However, be aware that scammers may use other names too, such as philanthropists or business people.
Watch the video below to see a different variation of the Lottery Winner Scam exposed:
Potential victims are taking this to social media, exposing the scammers. Here is the last Tweet from user @maelen:
Do not fall for this guys scam. He’s claiming to be a lottery winner and is trying to get very personal information from people. Please keep yourselves safe out there. #scam #fake pic.twitter.com/aHa60Nx0xy
— Maelen (@_maelen_) April 20, 2020
Lottery Winner Donation Scam: How to Avoid
Keep in mind that new scammers could copy this scheme and use lottery winners’ names from your region. Be very careful. As a fact, lottery winners are advised on the day of the claiming to close their social media accounts temporarily. Not to mention that – within days – they are approached for donations by hundreds of people and various local organizations.
Meanwhile, be careful about all kinds of scams that promise big outcomes such as the Gold IRA Investment Scam, GoingFast.us Scam, and any kind of loan approvals.
How To Find Out If a Profile Is Fake
Here is some good news. Watch the video below to see how you can easily identify if the profile contacting you on social is fake (you can apply to all, not just Facebook).
Always do your research and trust only legitimate sources. If you really are into looking for ways to earn money or rewards online or from social media, you can join Swagbucks.com, which is the world’s largest free online rewards program. You get paid by doing things online which you might do anyway, such as searching the web, discover products, take surveys, watch videos or play games.
You can also get free iTunes and Amazon cards. The company has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. You can register for free HERE.
For the end, here are a couple of related articles:
How To Tell If Someone Is Scamming You Online
What To Do If You Have Been Scammed Over The Phone
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currently being ‘baited with lottery winner wanting to pay off debt, including mtg.
Who do I contact to get person caught/exposed
I JUST got scammed recently. NOW I am on edge. A woman befriended me on Twitter, said she was a lottery winner, asked if i had credit card debt. I screenshot my debt of $384. She asked for my phone number which i reluctantly gave. She had her SO called financial advisor Jeff text me from number 336-496-1649. Said this is 1000% legit, just show him the statement. I did, he gaveme banking information complete with routing and account number and name on account of CHRISTY DAVIS. I plugged that in and his sent payment. I then AND ONLY then… Read more »
A scam revolving recent or fake lottery winner Dave Johnson, has an Instagram account, davejohnson577978, promoting that he will send $30,000 to his first 2,000 followers.
He’s only requesting that the alleged winner send a payment that coincides with the “account winner” sending different amounts to either receive the payment in shipping day or several.
Clearly a scam.
The individual that is impersonating Dave Johnson is also using a cell phone number 1 (619) 404-1253.
here is a scam email i just received: My name is Charles W. Jackson Jr, the mega jackpot winner of $344.6 million on June 01, 2019. I intend to use the winning funds to pursue a variety of passions and make some charitable contributions to humanity. With great joy in my heart, I hereby inform you that you have been selected to benefit from my private donations aimed at touching lives as God has blessed me. This donation of $2 million is made out to enable you strengthen your personal issues and generously extend hands of help to the less… Read more »
Did it work? Was it real or fake?
I received a friend request from a David Johnson who won the New York Lottery for 398miilion claiming to be rewarding $100.000
In the last couple of days I recieved some Emails telling me that I was the winner in Facebook/zynga lottery from a Maria Davies from (facebook2014lotosupport@outlook.com) They have send a copy of a check and a winner certificate, but I got suspicius when I could pay 450 English pound.But I gave them my personal information wich I regrets today.
is this real or fake Jul 4 (6 days ago) We have deposited the check of your fund ($1.700scamdetect_00000USD) through Western U… Darvis Johnson Jul 9 (1 day ago) to revtonyfrancis What is the mtcn sender name and how I go about receiving the fund that your are saying that is there for me. How do I know that this is real amd not fake revtony francis Jul 9 (1 day ago) We write to acknowledge the receipt of your mail regarding your funds transfe… revtony francis Jul 9 (1 day ago) DR. DAVID MARK Tel +229-99286146/ +22967577961 > >… Read more »
One big ass scam is what this is and it got my money I’m trying to figure out what to do and where to do it but I’m going to figure it out just leaving a message here just in case somebody knows how
Hi ~ I received a text from "Zhang, Runzhou" runzhou_zhang@hks17.harvard.edu today, Sept. 16, 2015 at 2:32 AM; Subject: Good News. Message: "2M Dollars donated to you. Contact via email to: grantproject1@onet.eu for more details. This LOOKS like a scam to me. I have not contacted them. Do you have any details?
Grantproject1@onet.eu is a scam and email adress yang-yangmed.lu.se
I recently got an email from Thomas Morris saying they want to help people and that good things can happen…. They are telling me they want to donate a large sum of money to me and I’m curious if it’s a scam or not??