Florida State Center Wiki: Spanish Lottery Scam In Florida

Spanish Lottery Scam In Florida

The United States Embassy in Madrid, the United States Consulate General in Barcelona and the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at the U. S. Department of State receive frequent inquiries from Florida about the Spanish Lottery (sometimes referred to as El Gordo). Most inquiries result in complaints in regards to a scam in which purported Spanish lottery officials inform victims that they have won a large cash prize. This scam is just one example of the many advance-fee cons being run around the world that target Florida lottery players.

How the Spanish Lottery scam works

There is a general pattern among the scams. First, the victim receives an award confirmation through fax or email informing them that they have won a large amount of money in a Spanish lottery drawing. Due to a clerical error or some other sort of mix-up, the winner is asked to keep his or her prize confidential until the winnings are released to them. Most times, there is a deadline to claim the money. Once the transfer process begins, the victim is informed of various delays requiring the payment of transfer fees, taxes, anti-terror fees, insurance fees, claims agent fees, and other administrative costs that they must pay before the prize can officially be collected. The scam runs under many different seemingly official names such as El Gordo Sweepstakes Lottery or even by utilizing actual lottery names such as Once.

How the real Spanish lottery system works

Two of the most common legitimate Spanish lotteries are El Gordo, one of the largest lottery drawings in the world, and La Primitiva. They are lotteries, not sweepstakes, and are a part of Loteras y Apuestas del Estado, meaning that they are government endorsed. While some lotteries are drawn weekly, El Gordo is only drawn one time per year during the Christmas season. The Spanish lottery does not tax any of its prizes.

In order to enter and win El Gordo, you must be a resident of Spain and purchase your ticket within the country. Keep in mind YOU CANNOT WIN IF YOU DID NOT BUY A TICKET! You must purchase your entry to the drawing in Spain in order to win. It is against U.S. federal law for Florida residents to play a foreign lottery through the mail or over the phone.

From Florida Lottery

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Daily Fact

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Source: Louisiana State Center