NORFOLK, Va. — The Virginia Lottery is warning residents to be on guard as scammers pose as lottery officials and offer money in exchange for personal information.
Lottery leaders say the agency will never pay anyone for their personal information.
The lottery will never ask for a photo of a driver's license in exchange for cash. Officials are also asking customers not to create an online lottery account if someone else tells them to do so, and to never hand over banking or payment information.
If someone approaches with this kind of offer, officials say to exercise caution and ignore it. They strongly encourage residents to protect themselves and never share sensitive information.
"So, if you're approached by someone with this kind of an offer, whether it's on the phone or in person, don't provide the information," said John Hagerty, Virginia Lottery spokesperson. "And one thing that we see, not just with this, but with scams in general, is that scammers get more creative, and they anticipate how people are going to react."
If you think you have been targeted, you are urged to contact local law enforcement and the Virginia Lottery. Police are actively investigating.
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