Avoid Lottery Scams

The California Lottery wants to help players avoid lottery scams. Protect yourself, family, and loved ones by referring to the following information and staying alert. Beware of individuals impersonating the California Lottery, and watch out for fraudulent calls, texts, emails, and requests for fees. Lottery fraudsters and scam artists may pose as Lottery officials or claim connections to Lottery winners to steal money or obtain sensitive personal information.

If you are contacted by the California Lottery, our representatives will reference specific details of your claim known only to you and the Lottery, and we will direct you to our official channels for verification. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact California Lottery Customer Service at 1-800-LOTTERY (1-800-568-8379) Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. or email customerservice@calottery.com.

Things You Should Know

• If someone contacts you claiming you’ve won a California Lottery prize, be careful. It could be a scam. Red flags to watch out for include unsolicited calls, texts, or direct messages requesting payments, unofficial emails, numbers, or accounts not tied to the California Lottery, requests for gift cards or money cards in exchange for prizes, and anyone asking you to pay fees, taxes, or other charges to collect your winnings. The California Lottery never charges fees or taxes to claim a prize and never asks for money up front.
  
  
• If someone approaches you requesting your help to claim a California Lottery prize, please contact California Lottery Customer Service at 1-800-LOTTERY (1-800-568-8379) Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
  
  
• Please be aware of fake checks. Do not cash any unsolicited checks claiming to be lottery winnings and always verify before cashing. Unsolicited checks are not valid and will be returned for insufficient funds.
  
  
• You don’t have to be a California resident or U.S. citizen to claim a California Lottery prize. Anyone can claim a California Lottery prize regardless of residency or citizenship status. For more information and to download the claim form, please visit our Claim A Prize page.
  
  
• Never share credit card information, bank account information, Social Security numbers or other sensitive personal information with anyone claiming to offer Lottery prizes. Lottery fraudsters and scammers will often provide online claim forms attempting to obtain this information or request this information over the phone.
  
  
• Never redeem a Lottery ticket for someone you do not know. Never pay someone who is offering to sell a "winning ticket."
  
  
• Always verify a winning prize amount before claiming your prize by using the Check-A-Ticket feature within the California Lottery Official Mobile App or using the Check-A-Ticket machine at a local Lottery retail location.
  
  
• Only purchase Lottery tickets from one of the over 23,000 authorized California retailers. California Lottery games are not authorized for sale online or through mobile apps.
  
  
• If you feel that you have been a victim of fraud, please contact your local law enforcement jurisdiction. We also recommend that you contact the Federal Trade Commission where they can assign a case number to investigate your claim. If the suspected fraud occurred online, you may also notify the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) of the FBI by filing a complaint on their website.