A couple from Warman are advising people in the area to be wary of a phone scam by fraudsters claiming to offer a prize from STARS lottery.
In an interview, the Warman residents said they got a call from someone recently who claimed to be from STARS, saying they had won $35,000 and a 2022 Ford Explorer. The couple were told their names were randomly drawn from a pool of 25 Warman residents who had been STARS lottery supporters in the past.
The couple were then told they would need to pay $395 in delivery charges for the vehicle.
That’s when they knew it was a scam.
They hung up on the scammer, and reported the incident to the Warman RCMP.
STARS states on its website that people should be aware of fraud artists who try to manipulate people by falsely claiming they have won a prize. The STARS website notice offers the following advice:
“To protect yourself, always keep these two points in mind:
1. You will never be asked to send money to claim a STARS lottery prize. Period. If you are being asked to send a cheque, money order, or payment of any kind to claim your lottery prize, it is a scam. Hang up the phone or delete the email.
2. Check with STARS directly to verify if you are a winner. You are always welcome to check the official lottery winners list on our website or contact us to confirm if you have won a prize. Always use our official numbers and websites, show below, and not the ones a scammer may provide.
Alberta
1 888-880-0992
info@stars.ca
http://starslotteryalberta.ca/
Saskatchewan
1 855-449-2444
info@stars.ca
http://starslotterysaskatchewan.ca/
If you receive a scam lottery call, please hang up, record the number calling, then advise your local police department and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501, or visit their website.