| Consumer Alerts
Elder Abuse Prevention: Sweepstakes, Prizes and Contests
“You’ve won a prize!”
Those may be the first words you read when you open your mail or hear when you answer the telephone. Fantastic prizes such as: a vacation for two, a new car or even $10 million could be yours. Americans have become accustomed to ads showing people winning millions of dollars in sweepstakes or lotteries that are actually legitimate.
Sweepstakes and contests can be marketing tools for reputable companies, but there is much fraud perpetrated under the guise of sweepstakes. Many prize offers have strings attached. Typically, you must purchase something, pay a fee or agree to pay a shipping and handling charge in order to receive your “prize.” In most cases, the value of the prize is greatly overstated.
Remember, if you’ve really won a prize, you’ll get it absolutely free, with no strings attached.
Important Facts to Know:
Official sounding names are used, such as “Audit Central Bureau Disbursement Center” or “National Prize Center.”
Official looking features are used such as “Award Claim Number: ............”
Some companies use names that sound like other well-known sweepstakes organizations.
Small print is often used to give you information the company hopes you won’t read. You may be signing up for magazines, vitamins or some other unwanted item. You might even be giving permission to change phone carriers.
You may be told to call a 1-900 number phone call to collect your “prize.” Remember, you pay for 1-900 calls.
You may be asked to give a credit card number or bank account number.
The prize is probably worth very little.
You may be asked to send money by messenger.
You may be asked to pay for “shipping and handling.”
Your chance of winning a truly valuable prize through contests or sweepstakes are very slim.
Indicators of Sweepstakes, Prizes and Contest Fraud:
A large amount of junk mail lying around in a senior’s home.
A senior receives frequent telephone calls from strangers.
Frequent stops to a senior’s home by couriers to pick up checks.
Many packages arriving at a senior’s home.
Quantities of vitamins, magazines, junk prizes and other products stored in a senior’s home.
Senior gives out credit card number or bank account number on phone or to salespersons. |
