The Ministry of Internal Affairs warned about fraudulent schemes with fake lotteries

Fake lotteries and sweepstakes can be called one of the most popular fraudulent schemes that are carried out using spam mailings. The Russian Interior Ministry informed about this on April 7.

"We do not recommend participating in any types of lotteries at all, but for those who want to try their luck, we have prepared a small legal excursion into this topic," the department's Telegram channel says.

According to law enforcement officials, the lottery is a game in which the operator draws a prize pool, and its participant has the right to win in accordance with the terms of the contract. It can be either a circulation, that is, it is carried out at a time, or a non-circulation, its results are summed up immediately.

"Organization and holding: Since 2014, all lotteries in the Russian Federation — public, private are prohibited. The organizers can only be authorized federal agencies," the Russian Interior Ministry said.

The draw operator may be a legal entity registered in Russia with a contract from the organizer. The lottery conditions must be fully specified. Minors cannot participate in it.

It clarifies that incentive sweepstakes to increase sales, for example, in stores are not considered lotteries and therefore do not require a license, but they must comply with the law "On Advertising." Representatives of the agency urge users to be careful when participating in a lottery from a small brand, which must be confirmed on the official website, or from an authorized federal agency that does not guarantee receiving prizes.

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