Scam of the Week: Lottery fraud

The Scam: Phony lotteries
The Targets: Phone customers
The Hook: Scammers used VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) technology to make their phone calls appear as coming from Washington, D.C. They persuaded 2,000 people out of $20 million by telling them they'd won a lottery and needed to send money to collect their winnings. ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) has charged 24 persons in Costa Rica and the U.S. in connection with the scam.
How to avoid being victimized: No legitimate lottery requires you to send money to collect winnings. Refuse to speak with "lottery officials" who call and ask for a "refundable processing fee" or similar terms. ICE news release