COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots now total more than $1.5 billion and state lottery officials are warning people about lottery scams.
Leaders with the South Carolina Education Lotter say scammers often contact people by phone, email, text and even social media to ask for money in advance to cover processing fees in order to claim a phony lottery prize.
“A legitimate lottery will never contact a player to ask for cash before awarding a prize,” said SCEL. “The only upfront fee required by a legitimate lottery is the price of the ticket.”
If you are contacted by someone claiming you won a Powerball or Mega Millions prize, and you did not buy a ticket, it is a scam.
To report or inquire about a suspicious communication from someone posing as a South Carolina Education Lottery official, call the Lottery at 1-866-736-9819. If you are the victim of a scam, contact the Identity Theft Unit of the SC Department of Consumer Affairs at 1-844-835-5322.
