Hunter
07/18/25
As National Lottery Day was celebrated Thursday, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office sent out a release warning residents to be wary of lottery or sweepstakes scams.
Lottery scams occur when people are told they’ve won a sweepstakes or prize, and they have to make a payment to receive it.
In the release, Attorney General Brenna Bird said, “Con artists contact victims and convince them they’ve won a trip or a car, and claim the victims have to pay a fee to claim their prize. But if you win a prize, you shouldn’t have to pay for it. We are dedicated to protecting hard-working Iowans from predators who exploit them in order to steal from them….remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Iowans should never provide personal or financial information over the phone or email to someone unknown for alleged lottery or prize winnings. Report suspicious activity to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office or local law enforcement. If you or someone you know has been targeted by a lottery scam, contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office at 888-777-4590 or file a complaint online at iowaattorneygeneral.gov.