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
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.