Scammers are using fake sweepstakes and lottery notifications to steal money and personal information from unsuspecting victims, according to the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland.
The scams typically promise big prizes or surprise gifts, then demand processing fees to claim the winnings.
LaKrissia Bowden experienced this firsthand when she received a suspicious email shortly after her son picked up an order from O'Reilly Auto Parts. The message claimed she had been chosen for a loyalty program and could receive a 21-piece Stanley tool kit.
RELATED STORY | Your holiday shopping could haunt you in January; here’s how to stop it
"You have been chosen to participate in our loyalty program for free. It will take you only a minute to receive this fantastic prize. Claim your reward," Bowden said, reading from the email.
The scam required her to pay $12 for processing, shipping and handling. After completing a survey and entering payment information, the terms suddenly changed.
"So I did the survey and it asked me those questions. Now, it says on the email, clear as day, you will get this as a result of taking the survey. But after you put in your payment information and hit submit, what pops up is something different. Oh, you've been entered into a drawing," Bowden said.
Upon closer inspection, Bowden noticed the sender's email address wasn't official, and the charge on her debit card didn't show O'Reilly's name.
"I never click on links if I don't trust the site that's embedded in the email. I usually go to the site but this time, I think it was just the timing," Bowden said.
Clay Campbell, director of marketing for the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland, said these scams come in many forms.
"Notifications come through via email or text message, and they could say that you won half a million dollars. They could say that you won a small tumbler or a Stanley Cup," Campbell said.
The scammers' primary goal is to collect upfront payments and personal information.
"If you are asked to pay for like a $100 or a $10 or $20 fee up front, that lets that scammer into your personal information. It can give a scammer access to your bank account, your Social Security number if they ask for it," Campbell said.
RELATED STORY | How to stick to a holiday budget as gift spending hits new highs
Campbell emphasized the most important rule for avoiding these scams: if you didn't enter a contest, you didn't win.
"If you got a notification out of the blue, it's probably not legitimate," Campbell said.
Experts recommend several steps to protect yourself from sweepstakes scams. If you receive a suspicious message, don't click any links. Instead, ask someone you trust to review the communication or contact the company directly through official channels.
Bowden followed this advice and reached out to the real O'Reilly Auto Parts. The company confirmed they were aware of the scam and asked customers to forward these fraudulent messages to their security team.
Publishers Clearing House maintains a dedicated webpage warning people about impostors using their name. The company states that the biggest red flag is simple: they will never require payment to claim a prize.
This story was reported on-air by Mallory Sofastaii at the Scripps News Group station in Baltimore and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
