YPD warns locals about lottery scam

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - In order to avoid being scammed, one local says you have to educate yourself on how to avoid scams and do the research.

“There’s always places you can go to get research, to find out like what scams are out there, and like things you should look out for in a scam, and all that kind of stuff," says Jason Bates, Yuma local.

Bates, shares one way he protects himself from scams.

Bates adds, “Me personally, like I don’t every take a call coming in, if someone calls me or texts me and says hey come do this deal or we got this thing, and I can’t verify that that information is coming from a place I know, I just don’t even respond.”

We spoke with the Yuma Police Department (YPD) on how you can avoid falling victim to these scams.

“Don’t give any personal information over the phone, over the computer, if you have social media account try to protect yourself and your information there as well, just pay attention," says Officer Hayato Johnson, Yuma Police Department PIO.

YPD says these scammers are reaching out by email or phone calls, trying to get your personal information.

The scammers are targeting anyone, but mostly people with lots of money or those who have a huge savings account.

Officer Johnson adds, "every year this happens where there’s lottery scams that come around, people claim their with the lottery division, they claim you won some money and they want some personal information, so they get you paid.”

Anyone who believes they may have been targeted by a scam should report it to law enforcement.