A new text message scam has been making the rounds, luring unsuspecting people in with promises of free money from lottery winner Cindy McAdoo-Stewart. This article will provide an in-depth overview of how this scam works, red flags to watch out for, and steps to take if you receive one of these fraudulent messages.
Scam Overview – Don’t Fall for Fake Lottery Winnings
This text message scam claims that Cindy McAdoo-Stewart, winner of a $1.28 billion Mega Millions jackpot, is randomly selecting phone numbers and donating $500,000 to each person. The message states that the recipient’s phone number has been chosen and provides a “claimant code” and phone number to text for activation of the winnings.
However, this is a complete scam designed to steal personal information and money from victims. Cindy McAdoo-Stewart is a real person who won a big lottery prize, but she is not randomly texting people and giving away money. Here are some red flags that indicate this is a sham:
- Lottery organizations never contact winners via text, only by phone or registered mail. Legitimate prize money is never dispersed via text messaging.
- The message does not provide specific details on which lottery the prize is from. Vague claims of “Mega Millions” winnings are a giveaway.
- Authorities emphasize consumers should never pay any fee to collect supposed lottery winnings. Scammers often claim taxes and processing fees must be paid before prizes can be released.
- No legitimate lottery winners disburse their own personal funds to random individuals. Transfer of lottery prizes always goes through official organizations.
- The claim that phone numbers are randomly selected to receive prize money is absurd. Legitimate lotteries do not award prizes by texting arbitrary phone numbers.
- The message style is designed to create urgency and excitement with the improbable story of riches awarded by text. This is a common scam tactic.
This scam has been reported under different fake lottery winner names, but the message structure remains the same. The scammers’ intent is to trick recipients into contacting the provided phone number and handing over sensitive personal data and bank account information. They then leverage this info to steal money and identities. No one should ever respond to these fraudulent lottery texts.
How the Scam Works – Don’t Reply to the Texts
The supposed Cindy McAdoo-Stewart lottery scam works in stages designed to slowly extract information and money from the victim:
Step 1 – Initial Contact
The scam starts with an unsolicited text message claiming the recipient has been selected by Cindy McAdoo-Stewart to receive $500,000. These messages are sent en masse to random phone numbers. This “cold contact” text is structured to spark excitement and get the recipient to respond.
Key elements include:
- A short intro declaring the recipient has been “randomly selected” and that their phone number was chosen after a “spin ball”. This creates an illusion of exclusivity and luck.
- Specifying an exact dollar amount ($500,000) to be awarded builds anticipation and draws the victim in.
- Providing an official sounding “Claimant Code” and contact for an “Agent in charge” makes the message appear legitimate.
- An urgent call to action to text the “Agent” creates pressure to respond quickly.
Step 2 – Response and Information Gathering
Should an individual respond to the initial text, the scammers use this engagement to begin gathering the victim’s personal information. Posing as the “Agent”, they will start asking questions like:
- Name, address, date of birth, and social security number to “verify identity”.
- Bank account and routing numbers to allegedly deposit the prize money.
- Credit card information, account login credentials, and security question answers, falsely required to collect winnings.
- Upfront “processing fees” supposedly needed to release the funds, often hundreds or thousands of dollars.
As long as the victim continues to provide information, the scammers will keep requesting more, gaining account access and ripe opportunity for identity theft.
Step 3 – Leveraging the Stolen Information
Once substantial personal data has been gathered, the scammers leverage this information to directly steal money and open fraudulent accounts. Tactics include:
- Using bank account info to withdraw funds or cash transferred “prize deposits”.
- Impersonating the victim to open credit cards and loans in their name.
- Accessing and wiping out the victim’s legitimate financial accounts.
- Selling the victim’s identity and account credentials on the dark web.
- Continuing to contact the victim posing as banks, debt collectors, or law enforcement to extract more money.
Victims often end up losing thousands of dollars and facing severe identity theft consequences. The scammers disappear with the money and personal data, leaving the victim to deal with the financial and legal aftermath.
Red Flags – Spotting the Scam Signs
While these criminal tactics are cleverly designed, there are key signs that can help identify the Cindy McAdoo-Stewart text as a scam:
- Unsolicited: You did not enter any lottery or contest to prompt this message. Contact “out of the blue” indicates a scam.
- Promise of guaranteed winnings: Real lottery organizations never guarantee prizes or that you have already won. This is always a red flag.
- Request for personal information: Lotteries will never request sensitive info like social security numbers and bank account details via text message.
- Upfront fees mentioned: It is illegal to require payment to collect legitimate contest winnings. Fees are only scam tactics.
- Urgent instructions to act fast: Scammers want to rush victims into acting before they can think clearly. Don’t fall for this.
- Poor grammar and spelling errors: Careless mistakes indicate fraudulent messages blasted out en masse.
- No official lottery or organization: The texts do not name a real lottery and lack identifying info beyond a “Mega Millions” claim.
- Method of contact: Legitimate lotteries only contact winners via phone, email or registered mail, never social media or texts.
Stay vigilant for these and other warning signs. Real lottery organizations will never contact you demanding money or personal information over text. These are all traits of a scam.
What to Do if You Get This Scam Text
If you receive an unsolicited Cindy McAdoo-Stewart lottery text message, do not interact with the number or provide any information. Follow these steps:
- Do not respond: Any response signals an active number to scammers who will barrage you with more spam texts and calls.
- Report and block the number: Look up how to report spam text messages based on your phone carrier. Add the number to your blocked contacts.
- Contact your phone carrier: Your provider may be able to block the number from messaging their subscribers. Give them any details to help protect others.
- File an FTC complaint: Report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov to help authorities track these criminal operations.
- Change passwords: If you shared financial account info, immediately change your passwords, security questions, and PINs. Enable two-factor authentication if possible.
- Monitor accounts closely: Keep vigilant watch on your accounts for fraudulent activity. Report any unauthorized charges or activity immediately.
- Place fraud alerts and credit freezes: To protect your identity if data was leaked, place fraud alerts with credit bureaus and consider credit freezes.
- Ignore further contact attempts: Disregard any future texts or calls claiming you must act immediately or legal action will be taken. These are still scammer tactics.
The most important first step is not to respond to any random texts promising free money. This is always a scam. Report the messages instead of replying to them.
Victim Tips – Steps if You Shared Information
If you engaged with the scammers and provided personal details or money, take these steps:
- Contact banks immediately to close any compromised accounts. Monitor all accounts closely for fraudulent charges.
- Change online account passwords and security questions for any website logins shared. Enable two-factor authentication if possible.
- Place fraud alerts with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to protect your credit. Consider a credit freeze.
- Watch out for phishing attempts impersonating banks or government agencies asking for more information. Ignore these contact attempts.
- File a report with the FTC’s Complaint Assistant and local law enforcement. Provide all available details to aid investigation.
- Consult an attorney to understand your legal options if identity theft or financial fraud occurred. An attorney can help with recovery procedures.
- Beware of recovery scams promising assistance for a fee to get your lost money back. This is just another scam tactic. Recovery is often very difficult.
Stay vigilant – further contact attempts will likely be made soliciting more money or data. Avoid providing anything further to anyone over unsolicited contact.
The Bottom Line – Don’t Reply, Report It
In summary, this Cindy McAdoo-Stewart lottery scam is a fraudulent attempt to steal money and identities under the false guise of lottery winnings. No legitimate lottery would ever operate in this manner. These texts promise easy riches in hopes of luring excited victims into revealing valuable personal data that is then used for identity theft and financial fraud.
The most crucial first step is to avoid responding to any random texts of this nature. Do not reply or provide any information to strangers who contact you with grand monetary promises. Simply delete the messages and report them instead. Be cautious to identify warning signs of lottery scams in the future. Remaining vigilant to protect your personal information is key to avoiding real losses from these criminal operations designed to financially exploit victims.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Cindy McAdoo-Stewart Lottery Scam
1. I got a text saying I won money from Cindy McAdoo-Stewart. Is this real?
No, this is a scam. Cindy McAdoo-Stewart is a real lottery winner, but she is not personally texting or calling people to give away money. This is always a fraudulent scam tactic to steal personal information and money. No legitimate lottery disburses prize money via text message.
2. How do the scammers get my phone number?
These text messages are sent randomly and en masse to phone numbers generated by computers. Scammers use autodialing programs and spam texting technology to distribute fraudulent messages quickly to thousands of unsuspecting numbers at once.
3. What should I do if I get one of these scam texts?
Do not respond or click any links. Report the spam text to your mobile carrier and block the number. You can also report it to the FTC’s Complaint Assistant at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Deleting the message and ignoring further texts is the best action.
4. What happens if I respond to the text?
If you respond, the scammers will begin asking you for personal information under the pretense it is required to collect supposed lottery winnings. This can lead to identity theft and financial fraud. Do not provide any info and cease contact immediately.
5. Why might the scam text mention a “Claimant Code”?
The scammers include false “codes” or case numbers to create the illusion you must provide this info to verify your identity and eligibility to receive the fake prize money. This is just a tactic to get personal data from you to facilitate their scam.
6. Can I really get in legal trouble if I don’t pay fees they ask for?
No, that is another empty threat and sign of a scam. No legitimate lottery ever requires you to pay processing fees, taxes, duties or other charges to collect official prizes. Hang up if requested.
7. How can I recover lost money if I fell for this scam?
Contact your bank immediately if you shared account information or transferred any funds. File a report with the FTC and consult an attorney regarding legal action. Unfortunately, recovery can be very difficult, so it’s best to avoid engagement altogether.
8. What steps can I take if I already provided personal info?
If you shared any sensitive information, change your account passwords and security questions right away. Contact credit bureaus to place fraud alerts and consider a credit freeze. Closely monitor all accounts for any suspicious activity and report unauthorized transactions promptly to financial institutions.
9. How can I avoid falling for the Cindy McAdoo-Stewart scam in the future?
Be wary of any lottery or contest wins announced via text message. Contact lottery organizations directly to verify any supposed winnings. Remember legitimate lotteries do not guarantee prizes or require upfront fees. Protect all personal data and do not disclose details to strangers over the phone or text.
10. Where can I report this scam?
Notify the FTC by filing a complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report spoofed numbers or spam texts to your mobile carrier and local law enforcement. Reporting these scams helps prevent the criminals from victimizing others.
