By Alabama Public Radio
Kinsey, AL – Attorney General Troy King is warning consumers about international lottery scams being circulated in Alabama's Wiregrass region. At least two people in the Kinsey community have been contacted. King says scam artists have contacted consumers by mail, telling them that they have won an international lottery and enclosing bogus checks to cover the taxes and fees associated with the winnings. Consumers are directed to deposit the enclosed check and wire the money to cover the taxes and fees. The scam notice also declares that the supposed winnings will be voided if the consumer does not respond within a close deadline to encourage consumers to send the money before they find out the checks are bad. King says consumers are sometimes asked to send financial account numbers under the false reason that the information will be used to deposit winnings into their accounts. One of the lottery scams now being circulated is called the Omega British Lottery. The attorney general urges Alabama consumers to consider any international lottery letter to be a scam.