Identifying Lottery Scams

If you've received an e-mail, a letter, or phone call that claims to be from Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) or any other organization, and says that your name or email address was selected and you've won a lottery prize, please disregard it.

There are several scams going on every day that attempt to use the names and trademarks of legitimate organizations - including WCLC - to deceive unsuspecting victims. These emails, letters or phone calls will often indicate that you can claim a prize if you send money to cover "taxes" or "service charges".

Important: If you are concerned that you have been the victim of a lottery scam, contact your local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501 or info@antifraudcentre.ca), an anti-fraud task force comprising members of several Canadian police organizations, including the RCMP.

Here are some tips to help you identify Lottery Scams.  It's a scam if...

  • You didn't purchase a ticket or enter a contest in the Prairie Provinces and Territories.
    • If you didn't purchase a ticket or enter a contest within our region, you would not be entitled to a prize. 
    • You can only win a prize on our games if you've purchased a ticket within our lottery jurisdiction, comprised of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon.
    • WCLC does not sell our products or solicit sales outside of our jurisdiction of the Canadian Prairie Provinces and Territories, nor do we authorize anyone to do so on our behalf.
  • You are informed that you've won a lottery prize even though you didn't purchase a lottery ticket or a Subscription through WCLC.
    • With the exception of individuals who have purchased a lottery Subscription through WCLC or entered into a promotional contest within our region, WCLC does not know who winning ticket holders are until tickets are presented to us for prize claim.
    • We don't award prizes by drawing names or email addresses from a list. No legitimate lottery operates in this way.
  • You are asked to pay taxes or fees to claim a prize.
    • Do not, under any circumstances, send money or personal or financial information to someone making such a request of you.
    • Lottery prizes in Canada are not taxable, and no taxes or fees of any kind have to be paid to Canadian authorities on legitimate lottery winnings in Canada. 
  • You are provided with a cheque from a third-party organization to assist with paying taxes or fees. 
    • No payment or fees are required to claim lottery prizes in Canada.  
    • Do not cash such cheques as they are likely forgeries and will bounce.  If you choose to attempt to cash the cheque, exercise extreme caution and confirm with your bank that there will be no financial or legal repercussions or costs if it doesn't clear.
  • You are instructed to not tell anyone about your "win" or else you will be unable to claim your prize.
    • If you had won a real prize from WCLC, sharing the news about your win with family, friends and others would not disqualify you from being entitled to a prize.

What should I do if I am contacted by someone who indicates I've won a lottery prize from WCLC even though I haven't purchased a ticket?

  • Simply disregard the request - throw the letter away, delete the e-mail, or hang up the telephone.
  • If you want to check with WCLC to confirm if it was from us, you can contact us by:
    • Phone: 1-800-665-3313 (Canada only) or 204-942-8217 (outside of Canada);
    • Mail:
      Western Canada Lottery Corporation
      Prize Payout
      10th Floor, 125 Garry Street
      Winnipeg, MB  R3C 4J1
    • E-mail: Click here

What if I've already sent money to a fraudulent lottery organization? 

If you have sent money or would like to speak to someone with regard to such a solicitation, we advise you to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. They can be reached at 1-888-495-8501 (within Canada and the United States) or (705) 495-8501 (overseas) or by e-mail to info@antifraudcentre.ca. Their phone lines can be busy; however, you can leave a message, and they will return your call. You may also wish to contact your local authorities.