In the United States, a 54-year-old woman from Michigan almost lost a R$1 million prize. She played an online lottery, but thought the winning email was spam. See how the case went.
Distrust when receiving the lottery message
The winner found an email in her spam box informing her of a prize of US$207,199.00, approximately R$1.17 million. But, surprisingly, she didn’t know that she had played, much less that she had won.
“I didn’t know that by playing certain games online I got chances to win the state lottery,” the woman said. “I was so confused when I got an email from the Michigan Lottery in my spam box. I just got an email saying I won. ”
So, suspicious of it being a scam, she asked for help to verify the authenticity of the message. “I looked, and I understood that I really won. Then I checked three times to make sure the email was real. It felt so good to win and it couldn’t have come at a better time!”
With the prize, she plans to pay off debts and invest the rest.
How to avoid phishing scams
The winner’s situation raises an important question: how do you know if an email is real or a scam? Unfortunately, it is common for scammers to send fake emails reporting supposed lottery winnings.
So, it is very important to be careful when clicking on links and always check the information.
“Phishing” is a technique used to steal data, where links sent via email, SMS and WhatsApp claim to be one thing, but have another intention. But here are some tips to avoid these scams:
- Never pass on personal data. When answering phone calls or receiving emails, never provide personal information. Prefer to get in touch via the official website.
- Check number or email. A quick Google search can reveal whether the contact is legitimate.
- Don’t click on unknown links. If you have doubts about the authenticity of a link, call the brand’s call center using the number provided on the official website.
- Check the links. Right-click the link (or press and hold on your phone) and choose the “copy link” option. Paste it into a notepad or WhatsApp conversation to check if the link matches the sender. If it is different or suspicious, it is likely fake.
Paying attention to these practices can avoid major headaches. The story of the winner from Michigan is a warning to all of us: luck may be on our side, but attention must be constant.
