TRENTON (July 18, 2023) – With all eyes on the colossal Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots this week, the New Jersey Lottery reminds all residents to beware of lottery scams. Scams related to lottery games take all sorts of forms, and fraudulent messaging can show up on social media, email, text messages, and phone calls.

Scammers posing as Lottery officials or prior lottery prizewinners will claim to be awarding prizes or hosting other giveaways in exchange for money upfront, information, or social engagement. New Jersey Lottery does not know who is in possession of a winning ticket until they come forward to file a claim, and therefore will never contact a winner prior to that point.

Here are some tips for all residents, players and non-players alike, to stay safe from scams:

• There is never a cost or payment required to claim a lottery prize. This includes no pre-payment of taxes, no settlement of prior debts, no fees to file a claim, etc.
• Never provide your credit card number, personal banking information, passwords, money orders, or checks to anyone promising lottery winnings.
• Only purchase tickets through a NJ Lottery retailer or registered courier service.
• Do not claim a prize on behalf of someone else.
• Check that Scratch-Offs tickets are completely unscratched and have not been tampered with at the time of purchase.

In the event you are targeted for any scams, contact the New Jersey Lottery's Security Unit immediately at (609) 599-6100. Our Security Unit takes these scams very seriously and looks into each particular scam in great detail. Additionally, report any attempted scam to the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP or at the FTC Consumer Information website.

Finally, New Jersey Lottery welcomes group play and office pools, but cautions players to be informed before participating. Our website features important information tips and guidelines for group or lottery pool play. If a player believes they have a winning ticket, we recommend signing the back of the ticket and taking a picture of both sides for security before checking the ticket with our app, website, or any New Jersey Lottery retailer. A winner of a large prize may wish to seek financial and legal consultation.