Beware of Fraudulent Messaging and Risky Play

TRENTON (May 12, 2020) – The New Jersey Lottery reminds players to stay safe and play safe.

The New Jersey Lottery remains open. If you are out shopping for groceries or other necessities and play the Lottery, please keep in mind:

• Money needed for daily expenses should not be used for playing the Lottery.
• Set a limit. Do not chase your losses and risk getting deeper into a hole.
• Set some winnings aside for other purposes.
• Winning and losing are both part of playing the Lottery and other gaming activities. If you are only prepared to win, you are not prepared to play the Lottery.
• Playing the Lottery is a recreational activity and not an alternative to work.

Beware of Scams:

Following reports of alleged lottery scams that have cropped up over the last few days on social media, New Jersey Lottery is cautioning residents to beware of any social media postings, emails or telephone calls from anyone promising lottery winnings or offering to share money from Lottery prizes won.

Lottery scams are nothing new. Occasionally, malicious actors will create fraudulent social media accounts pretending to be the official account for the New Jersey Lottery. In these cases, the person is asked to provide personal and financial information and/or pay a fee to cover processing costs to receive a “financial gift” or prize.

It is important that a prizewinner would NEVER be asked to provide any personal or financial information or pay a fee to obtain the prize. Cash prizes are awarded to players once an authentic, validated, winning New Jersey Lottery ticket is presented for claim. The only time a New Jersey Lottery official may contact a player via email, phone or letter announcing a prize win would be if the player had actively entered an authorized New Jersey Lottery second chance drawing promotion.

If in doubt after receiving any type of notification, residents are encouraged to email the New Jersey Lottery at PublicInfo@lottery.nj.gov for verification.

The New Jersey Lottery provides some simple tips for players, retailers and the general public to protect themselves against scams.

• NEVER provide your credit card number, personal banking information, passwords, transfer funds or cash, money orders or checks to anyone promising lottery winnings.
• Monitor the New Jersey Lottery’s website (NJLottery.com) and retailer locations for the most current Lottery promotions, winning numbers and instant tickets.
• If approached by someone promising you lottery winnings or offering a winning lottery ticket for cash or to give away part of winnings they claim to have won, immediately reach out to New Jersey Lottery.
• Only buy lottery tickets from one of the more than 7,000 authorized New Jersey Lottery retailers throughout the State or through the Lottery’s registered courier service.
• Never redeem a lottery ticket for someone other than yourself.