Mega Millions officials released a consumer alert December 15, 2025, cautioning players about scammers impersonating the lottery online by using its official logo to advertise nonexistent “special drawings.”
The warning, posted on the Mega Millions website, highlights fraudulent promotions circulating on social media and other platforms that mimic legitimate lottery branding to deceive consumers into providing money or personal information.
Khalid Jones, executive director of the Virginia Lottery and current lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, addressed the tactics. “These criminals use a lot of tricks to create the appearance of legitimacy,” Jones said. “These scams all have one thing in common: They try to trick you into getting your money or personal information by claiming that you have won a large lottery prize.”
Scammers often lift logos, photos, and text directly from the official Mega Millions site to build credibility. Common methods include claiming victims have won prizes in drawings they never entered, selling tickets for fake events, or posing as lottery representatives. Once contact is made, fraudsters may request payments for supposed taxes or fees, ask for bank details, send counterfeit checks requiring return funds, or direct clicks to malicious links.
“It can be an effective lure to tell someone they have won a large prize when in fact that is not the case,” Jones said. “If someone tries to tell you you’ve won a lottery that you never played, it’s most likely a scam.”
The alert coincides with heightened player interest ahead of the December 16, 2025, drawing, estimated at $80 million annuity value. Mega Millions operates as a consortium of 45 state lotteries plus the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin Islands, with drawings held Tuesdays and Fridays.
How Scams Operate
Fraudulent schemes vary but follow patterns. Direct contacts via phone, email, text, or social media announce unearned wins. Promoters push urgency, demanding quick action to “claim” prizes. Requests for upfront payments—often via wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency—cover fabricated processing costs. Bogus checks arrive, with instructions to deposit and remit portions back, leaving victims liable when checks bounce.
Foreign area codes or spoofed local numbers raise flags, as scammers use technology to mask origins. Messages with poor grammar, misspellings, or demands for secrecy also signal fraud. Legitimate lotteries never require payment to release winnings or contact winners unsolicited for games not played.
Prevention Tips from Officials
Officials provided guidance to avoid victimization:
- If notified of a win in an unplayed lottery, treat it suspiciously—tickets must be purchased through authorized retailers to qualify.
- Verify social media promotions by checking official sources like megamillions.com or state lottery sites.
- Avoid clicking unverified links promising entries or prizes, as they may install malware.
- Real lotteries do not charge fees to claim prizes.
- Examine caller IDs carefully; disguised foreign origins are common.
- Watch for grammatical errors in communications.
- Demands to keep wins confidential warrant caution.
- Unauthorized use of lottery names or logos does not validate claims.
- Never share personal or financial details without independent verification.
- Decline offers to deposit winnings directly into accounts.
- Independently research contact information rather than using provided numbers or links.
- Disconnect immediately from suspected scam interactions to prevent data sharing among fraud networks.
Lottery scams persist due to recognizable brands like Mega Millions drawing trust. The Federal Trade Commission tracks such frauds, noting imposters often fabricate government ties or international events. Victims should report incidents to local law enforcement and the FTC at 1-877-382-4357 or online for additional resources on prize scams.
Maryland residents, where Mega Millions tickets are sold at retailers across the state including Southern Maryland locations, can buy safely only through the Maryland Lottery. Official drawings remain transparent, with results posted promptly on megamillions.com.
Players verify tickets via official apps or sites, never third-party claims. This alert reinforces ongoing efforts to educate on safe play amid multi-state games.
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