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LITTLE ROCK - Arkansans who receive a notification that they have won a large sum of money or a luxury prize from sweepstakes they do not remember entering should immediately realize that this is a scam. Scammers will claim consumers have to respond quickly or risk missing out on the prize. Then, the scam artists will continue to urge consumers to keep their winnings confidential to 'maintain security or stop other people from getting the prize by mistake. Scammers, of course, do this to prevent consumers from seeking further information or advice from family, friends, and law enforcement.
"My best friend's mother lost her life savings when she shared her personal information with someone online," said Attorney General Rutledge. "I do not want anyone else to go through this horrible situation."
Attorney General Rutledge released the following tips to help consumers spot one of these scams:
- Consumers should not try to collect winnings from sweepstakes they do not remember entering.
- Never give out personal financial information.
- Do not pay money upfront in an attempt to claim a prize.
- Always remember that if it looks or seems too good to be true, it most likely is.
- Scammers often use the name of legitimate businesses, like Publishers Clearinghouse, or a similar name to trick consumers into turning over their information.
Consumers should ignore all unsolicited sweepstakes prizes and immediately contact the Attorney General's Office to report the call or email. When money is wired, especially to a foreign country, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to get it returned.
For more information and tips on how to avoid a scam, call the Arkansas Attorney General's Office at (800) 482-8982 or visit ArkansasAG.gov
About Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
Leslie Carol Rutledge is the 56th Attorney General of Arkansas. Elected on November 4, 2014, and sworn in on January 13, 2015, she is the first woman and first Republican in Arkansas history to be elected as Attorney General. She was resoundingly re-elected on November 6, 2018. Since taking office, she has significantly increased the number of arrests and convictions against online predators who exploit children and con artists who steal taxpayer money through Social Security Disability and Medicaid fraud. Further, she has held Rutledge Roundtable meetings and Mobile Office hours in every county of the State each year and launched a Military and Veterans Initiative. She has led efforts to roll back government regulations that hurt job creators, fight the opioid epidemic, teach internet safety, combat domestic violence and make the office the top law firm for Arkansans. Rutledge serves as co-chairs of the National Association of Attorneys General Veterans Affairs Committee, re-established and co-chairs the National Association of Attorneys General Committee on Agriculture, and was the former Chairwoman of the National Association of Attorneys General Southern Region. As the former Chairwoman of the Republican Attorneys General Association, she remains active on the Executive Board.
A native of Batesville, she is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Rutledge clerked for the Arkansas Court of Appeals, was Deputy Counsel for former Governor Mike Huckabee, served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Lonoke County, and was an Attorney at the Department of Human Services before serving as Counsel at the Republican National Committee. Rutledge and her husband, Boyce, have one daughter. The family has a home in Pulaski County and a farm in Crittenden County.
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