Security Awareness

Security Awareness for Players is designed to educate players on how to protect themselves from con artists and scams through some easy tips and advice. We are committed to ensuring that our games meet or exceed industry standards for quality, fairness and integrity.

Security Tips:

• If you select your own numbers or use a play slip, always check your tickets at the time of purchase to make sure your numbers are correct.
• Always sign your ticket. This will help prevent someone from trying to cash it, in the event it becomes lost or stolen. If your ticket is lost or stolen, report the matter to Lottery Security and the local police.
• If you play a multi-draw ticket and win before the final draw, make sure you obtain an exchange ticket from the cashing retailer, and make sure the ticket you receive is accurate. DO THIS IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIPT. The ticket should state EXCHANGE at the top.
• If you purchase a scratch-off ticket, check it and make sure the latex has not been previously scratched anywhere on the ticket. If the ticket appears to have been tampered with, contact Lottery Security immediately.
• If you present a winning ticket to be redeemed for cash, before leaving the retailer, always be certain to receive either your winnings or original winning ticket, if the clerk is unable to pay the winnings.
• Never allow a retailer to charge a commission or fee for cashing a winning ticket. If this occurs, contact Lottery Security immediately.
• Never accept a collect call from anyone claiming to be a Lottery official.
• Only buy lottery tickets from authorized Hoosier Lottery retailers. If you are approached by someone offering a "winning ticket" for cash, refuse the offer and contact Lottery Security immediately.
• Never purchase tickets from foreign lotteries by phone or by mail.
• Never agree to help a stranger cash a lottery ticket. If you do, more than likely you will become the victim of a scam.
• Unless you specifically entered a "promotional game" sponsored by the Hoosier Lottery, you will never be contacted by us informing you that you have won any game.
• Keep your credit cards, bank account numbers and social security number to yourself. Scam artists will often ask for them during an unsolicited sales pitch.

In recent years, the Internet has become a means for con artists to defraud innocent people out of their money. Lotteries are no exception. Fraud Watch International lists approximately 380 known lottery scam operatives around the world.

If you receive a letter or email informing you that you have won a lottery, please contact the Indiana Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division (http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/). You can also report it to Fraud Watch International at www.fraudwatchinternational.com.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid fraudulent foreign lotteries. Visit the FTC's web site at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/crossborder/.