Do you ever
check if the sweepstakes are for real, before you start celebrating? With so
many scammers on the prowl, it is essential that you should. If you come across
a sweepstakes and wonder whether it is safe to enter, here are the questions
you need to be asking to ensure fraud protection from lottery scams.
- Fraud Protection Query#1: Is There a Company Associated with the Sweepstakes?
The first
thing to be clear about while checking if the sweepstakes are legit is whether
a genuine company is financing it. There are numerous reasons why companies run
sweepstakes. Most of these are associated with generating publicity for company
or products/services they offer. If the company linked to the sweepstakes is
not for real, you can be sure the lottery is a scam too. The sweepstakes
sponsor is clear from the website address. The sponsor is often listed in the
sweepstakes rules. These are the sources from where you can check if the
company is bona fide.
- Fraud Protection Query#2: Does the Website of the Lottery Look Professional?
This is a
red flag too. If the website of the sweepstakes company is not up to the mark
with grammatical errors and graphics that are distorted or of bad quality, extra care needs to be taken to
ensue that the sweepstakes are legit.
If the
sweepstakes sponsor is a company one had never heard of, research can help you
decide if they are running a scam. Does a web search on the company's name
yield negative comments and adverse feedback? In case there are no results,
that is not a good sign either. It is also essential for the company name to be
Googled so you can get an idea of what their reputation is online and on social
media.
- Fraud Protection Query#4: Does the Sweepstakes Play By the Rules?
Bona fide
sweepstakes have rules that cover its most important parts. Sweepstakes without
rules cannot be trusted. Sweepstakes rules should clearly enunciate the
conditions and terms of the lottery. It should contain a description of the
manner in which the winner will be selected and notifications regarding the
same will be made.
- Fraud Protection Query#5: Does the Lottery Have a Privacy Policy in Place?
Legit
sweepstakes let you know in clear terms that they are planning to use the
information you give to them in certain ways. Check for the privacy policy and
make sure your details are safeguarded. A genuine sweepstakes will have a
full-fledged privacy policy in place.
- Fraud Protection Query#6: Do the Sweepstakes Sponsor Contact Details Match Up?
In case you
are dealing with sweepstakes sponsored by a smaller firm, assess the company's
website for contact details. Most legit companies have contact details listed
and these are trusted and verifiable. Sweepstakes sponsors provide contact
information including phone numbers, addresses and email addresses too.
- Fraud Protection Query #7: Be Clear About the Trust Factor
Another
sign you need to be sure of before trusting a sweepstakes is whether the prize
given away is legit. The best way to do this is to check if the sponsor is
entitled to run a sweepstakes and has authorization for the same. Be clear
while trusting a sweepstakes with personal data, in case it falls into the
wrong hands.
