Loterías y apuestas

Warning about fraud because of identity impersonation of Loterías y Apuestas del Estado.

The Sociedad Estatal Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, S.M.E., S.A. (SELAE) has received reports about random messages sent by email or letter informing the recipient that they have won a prize in the name of “Sociedad Estatal Loterías y Apuestas del Estado”. This is completely false. IT IS A FRAUD.

If you receive mail from “Sociedad Estatal Loterías y Apuestas del Estado” informing you that you have won a large amount of money, be careful! IT IS A “SCAM” (Internet Fraud). Do not contact the sender of these messages and NEVER PROVIDE PERSONAL INFORMATION OR MONEY.

The information you must know as a recipient of these messages is:

1. – The fraudulent names most often used for these games are " El Gordo Lotería Primitiva", "El Gordo Sweepstake Lottery", "La Primitiva Lottery and Apuestas del Estado", "EuroMillions Lotería Internacional", "El Gordo de Navidad", among many others.

2. – The names of the institutions, companies, and offices that appear in the messages, although usually belonging to ministerial departments, companies, agencies and offices that actually exist, have no relationship with the “scam”.

3. – The information and identification details given in these messages (section mail and phone numbers) are false.

4. – All the games of “Loterías y Apuestas del Estado” are managed through official establishments entirely located in Spain and via the loteriasyapuestas.es website and there is no promotion or marketing of these games outside Spain.

The only way of participating in our games is via the “Loterías y Apuestas del Estado” network by going, in person, to its official establishments located in Spain or registering in loteriasyapuestas.es previous verification of user data.

Recommendations for preventing this scam

1. Distrust these messages and check the addresses and telephone numbers of the organisations provided, you will find that they do not coincide with the real ones.
2. Do not pay any amount to obtain prizes offered to you and never provide personal or financial information.
3. Remember that there is no possibility of winning in a prize draw of “Loterías y Apuestas del Estado” if, before it is held, you have not participated through official lottery sales points located in Spain or through www.loteriasyapuestas.es, being a registered and verified user.
4. Finally, take into account that these networks usually act in any country other than that where the recipient of the messages resides and this considerably hinders the task of investigation and resolution of the criminal offences they commit.