Getting Started with Sweepstakes Part 4: Avoiding Scams and Sweepstakes Fraud

Welcome to Part 4 of a special four-part series about getting started with sweepstakes, which is part of the About.com Hobbies Channel's "Start a New Hobby" initiative. In today's post, I'm going to be talking about one thing that every sweepstakes fan should know: how to recognize and avoid sweepstakes scams. There are many legitimate sweepstakes sites out there, but sadly, there are some bad apples out there as well. If you don't want to fall prey to identity theft, lost money, and even jail time, it's a good idea to learn some tips to recognize scams. Start out with an overview of how sweepstakes scams work.

Before You Enter: How to Tell if Sweepstakes Sites are Legitimate

One way that scammers can trick you is by convincing you to enter fake sweepstakes. Before you enter any sweepstakes, ask yourself these simple questions to decide, is that sweepstakes a scam?

Untrustworthy sweepstakes sites can also infect your computer with spyware. Learn how to avoid spyware while entering sweepstakes to protect yourself.

Sweepstakes Scams Involving Fake "Wins"

Telling you that you've won when you haven't is a common way to trick you into giving up money, personal information, and more. Scammers bet that the excitement of thinking that you've won will override your better judgment and common sense. Prove those scammers wrong by familiarizing yourself with top warning signs of sweepstakes scams, which will help you tell if you are being scammed with a fake win. Remember that you never have to pay to win.

If you're still not sure whether the win you've received is real or not, read about how to investigate your wins before responding. Don't overlook things that raise a lot of questions, but aren't signs of scams.

Examples of Common Scams

To get a feeling for the types of sweepstakes scams you might see, check out these scam examples:

• Sweepstakes Check Scam Example
• The Fictitious Heineken Lottery Scam
• Sweepers Share Examples of Scams
• "Grand Sweepstakes" Scam
• PCHOnline.com Scam

Sweepstakes Scams vs. Long Odds

Sometimes, people confuse sweepstakes scams with sweepstakes with long odds. For example, I'm often asked if is PCH a scam or are magazine sweepstakes scams. The answer in each case is no, though the odds of winning these sweepstakes can be long (even astronomical).

Reporting Sweepstakes Scams:

If someone has tried to scam you, don't remain silent. Report the scam and you could help other people avoid being fooled by con artists.

Conclusion:

I hope that these tips have made you feel more confident about avoiding sweepstakes scams. For even more information, see the articles listed here: How to Protect Yourself from Sweepstakes Scams. If you have any questions, click the "comments" link below.

I hope you've enjoyed this four-part series, "Getting Started with Sweepstakes." If you missed any section, you can read them all here:

• Getting Started with Sweepstakes Part 1: Entering Online Sweepstakes
• Getting Started with Sweepstakes Part 2: Beyond the Basics - How to Win More Sweepstakes
• Getting Started with Sweepstakes Part 3: Making Sense of Social Sweepstakes
• Getting Started with Sweepstakes Part 4: Avoiding Scams and Sweepstakes Fraud