Ontario man out $18,000 after being tricked into thinking he won lottery he never entered
It was a phone call that came out of the blue. An Ontario man was told he had won $3.5 million in a lottery he never entered.
"They said congratulations and that I was one of the grand winners in the mega millions dot com," Ajax man Clayton Willett told CTV News Toronto.
Willett, a senior citizen, was told to collect his prize he would have to first buy a $200 gift card to get the process started.
After he did that he was told he would need to send more money to cover taxes, customs fees and other expenses.
"They said (the prize) was three-and-half million dollars. Two and a half million would be a certified cheque, a million dollars would be delivered by U.S. marshals and they were going to deliver a 2021 Chrysler 300," said Willett. "I was ecstatic."
It was a phone call that came out of the blue. An Ontario man was told he had won $3.5 million in a lottery he never entered. (The Canadian Press)
Willett said in total he handed over more than $18,000 before his family and friends convinced him it was a scam.
"They told me if I was to pay $3,000 they could have the car delivered here and the U.S. marshals would bring the money. Then when that was done, I had to come up with another $6,000. All-in-all I have invested $18,130," Willett said.
Willett says while he is embarrassed about falling for the scam, but wanted to share his story to prevent it from happening to anyone else.
Some lottery scam warning signs include being told you've won lottery you’ve never heard and you're asked to make upfront payments to collect tour prize. People may be told it’s for fees, taxes or duties and you’re asked to provide your banking information.
"I'm out $18,130 but I just hope no one is as foolish as I am," Willett said. "I hope by doing this interview I can help someone from being caught up in this type of thing."
If you're contacted by letter, email or a phone call saying you've won a lottery you should never respond.
If you do you could end up on a scammers list and be targeted by other types of fraud as well.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'