Deceptive mailouts and foreign lottery scams have been circulating for years. Individuals, especially seniors, are still responding to these fraudulent mailings. Sending $20 may not seem like a lot of money to you, but scam artists are collecting the same amount from thousands of people and reaping the benefits of deceiving innocent people. Here are some tips to protect yourself from deceptive mailouts and lottery scams.

• Protect yourself. Do not pay up front for any prize. A legitimate prize offering will never require you to pay anything.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Be suspicious of free gifts.
• Be careful if an offering requests that you send them personal information.
• Before responding to a company you have never heard of, contact your local Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if they have received any complaints about the company.
• Do not fill out surveys or questionnaires asking questions about gambling, puzzles or sweepstakes.
• If you are getting rid of documents that have your personal information on them (e.g. bills and bank statements), shred them.
• Do not be fooled by glossy and colourful mailouts. Scam artists are professionals and know how to make things look real.
• Once you respond you are added to a "sucker list" and your name resold. Stop the cycle at the beginning.

Report any suspicious mailings to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, as well as your local BBB. To reduce unsolicited mail from companies that belong to the Canadian Marketing Association, call 1 416 391-2362 or click www.the-cma.org.

• Recognize legitimate companies. There are legitimate charities seeking donations by mail. Look them up in the phone book and phone them to confirm their address.
• Always make your cheque out to the agency’s name, never to an individual.
• Registered charities are required to file an annual information return with the Canada Revenue Agency. If you receive a request for donation from a legitimate charity, search for them online at the Charities Directorate.

If you have questions about deceptive mailouts or wish to register a complaint about misleading or unconscionable practices, contact Consumer Protection BC at 1 888 564-9963 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .