Ask Verified.org: I Have Been Contacted as a Winner of $5,000/mo for Life - Real or Fake?

Will a lottery official contact you with great news about a lottery win? No, unfortunately this is a scam as most lottery officials (Powerball etc.) don't even know who you are.


Cameron Craig
Updated 3 January 2022
Ask Verified.org: I Have Been Contacted as a Winner of $5,000/mo for Life - Real or Fake?
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Hi Verified.org,

I have been contacted as a winner of $8.5 million, $5000 per mo for life, but I don't trust this person. 

This is absolutely a scam, and you should not respond. Many scammers use this lottery tactic to ask you to pay an administrative fee or taxes upfront before you can "claim the prize." If you pay them, you will never receive a cent in winnings. 

Some key questions to ask yourself are:

  • Did you enter a lottery with that same prize amount ($8.5 million)?
  • Do you have a ticket?

As a rule, lottery officials won't contact you. They actually love unclaimed prizes as this saves them money. 

Lottery winners (in a blind lottery where you select numbers OR scratch off) don't submit personal information when they buy tickets.

Therefore lottery officials can't and won't contact you. If you do win a lottery, it is up to you to cash in the winning ticket. 

Read more about lottery scams. 

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