Do these sound too good to be true? That’s because they are!

Scam operators sometimes use the telephone and direct mail to entice U.S. consumers to buy chances in high-stakes lotteries in foreign countries. Even if the lotteries advertised are real — and sometimes they are not — such solicitations violate U.S. federal law, which prohibits the cross-border sale or purchase of lottery tickets by phone or mail.

Both the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service say most promotions for foreign lotteries are likely to be phony. Many scam operators don’t even buy the promised lottery tickets. Others buy some tickets, but keep the “winnings” for themselves. In addition, lottery hustlers use victims’ bank account numbers to make unauthorized withdrawals or their credit card numbers to run up additional charges.

If you choose to play a foreign lottery, the Federal Trade Commission offers these recommendations:

If you play a foreign lottery—through the mail or over the telephone—you’re violating federal law. There are no secret systems for winning foreign lotteries. Your chances of winning more than the cost of your tickets are slim to none.

If you purchase one foreign lottery ticket, expect many more bogus offers for lottery or investment “opportunities.” Your name will be placed on “sucker lists” that fraudulent telemarketers buy and sell. Keep your credit card and bank account numbers to yourself. Scam artists often ask for them during an unsolicited sales pitch.

The bottom line, according to the FTC: Ignore all mail and phone solicitations for foreign lottery promotions. If you receive what looks like lottery material from a foreign country, give it to your local postmaster.Here goes your text … Select any part of your text to access the formatting toolbar.