The idea of winning a lottery seems exciting. Doesn't it? A free ticket promises a luxurious car, a cash prize, and an all-sponsored trip to an exotic place.

However, you need to take appropriate measures to check the genuineness of the sender. Otherwise, fraudsters can take advantage of your eagerness to claim the reward. Today, fraudsters are more tech-savvy and have found novel ways to execute these crimes.

One way is that they have started targeting consumers through WhatsApp messages, emails, and phone calls to extract money and sensitive data.Lottery fraud (also known as "advance fee fraud") is one such fraud. The ways and the nature of the execution of this crime has changed over the past few years. Not only posts but text messages, phone calls, and emails are being used to extract money or sensitive data.

Typically in a lottery fraud, a recipient is informed that they have won a huge cash prize or a "too good to be true" reward.

An unbelievable bonus generates excitement and curiosity. In order to claim the prize, the recipient is asked to transfer a processing fee like TDS or GST or courier charges in advance, i.e., before disbursement of prize money.

The fraudsters might also ask for personal details such as Aadhaar card number, bank account details, debit/credit card information, digital wallet details, and OTP. As soon as the data is shared or funds transferred, the fraudsters become unreachable.

Sometimes they might come back with the promise of a bigger reward and continue to trick the recipient.

They might also pretend to be a Meesho representative and send a fake post/letter/email/photos that appear legitimate. Be aware that we at Meesho do not send posts/emails/text messages or make phone calls related to lucky draws or lottery contests. Also, we don't ask for money transfers through links. In such a situation, be careful and refrain from sharing any information.

Types of Lottery Frauds

Lottery frauds might vary depending upon the targeted persona and platform. Here are the two commonly occurring lottery scams we observed:

Scratch card

In this type, fraudsters share scratch cards with customers via physical posts/ WhatsApp messages/SMS.

The physical post usually has a form attached. That urges the user to share their bank account and personal details on the pretext of paying for some applicable taxes or token/processing fee in advance to claim the reward.

Fraudsters often use advanced technology to make their message appear legitimate and genuine. They can potentially add fake signatures of the CEO or company. And even add bank stamps or may share fake Aadhar/pan card.

It is important to note that these impersonators have no connection or association with Meesho. We do not offer these fake scratch cards/lottery tickets in any form or manner.

Lucky Draw Contests

It's a lottery ticket scam where the fraudsters set up a lucky draw contest. They reach out to their target through physical posts/letters or text messages.

The message conveys to the recipient that they have won a lucky draw contest. But to claim the reward,  they must share their bank information and transfer a processing fee or pay applicable taxes on the lottery amount in advance, i.e., before disbursement of prize money.

What to do when you receive a fake lottery message?

We strongly advise you not to transfer any fee/amount or share your data or sensitive data. That includes bank details such as OTP, UPI/ATM PIN, CVV or credit/debit card details to anyone claiming to be Meesho's representative.

You can also receive such fake communication through email, text message or a physical post. Refrain from transferring funds or sharing any details.

You can report such incidents to us at legalsupport@meesho.com.

Preventive Measures

You can outsmart a fraudster if you know their common tactics in such scams. Below are the measures you can take to prevent lottery scams effectively:

  • We never ask for OTPs or personal information (name, phone number, email, bank details) over calls/emails/posts. Additionally, you will never be contacted personally by Meesho about unauthorised offers, lotteries, contests, or schemes that promise money for such participation.
  • Avoid paying any money or deposit funds to any person wrongfully claiming to be Meesho's representative or job consultant(s). Neither our representatives nor authorised recruitment consultants take money or any other payment for employment at Meesho. That even includes the enrolment on the supplier panel at Meesho.
  • The caller might ask you to click on an unknown link. By clicking on the link, you are at a risk of sharing your personal information. Be cautious about such situations.
  • Do not pay fees for prizes, rewards, or lotteries.
  • Never respond to links asking you to update your user account or password.
  • Report such suspicious activity to Meesho's legal support at legalsupport@meesho.com

Where to Find Reliable Information about Meesho?

Website: https://meesho.com
Our official website lets you shop and access the latest updates and information from our end.

App Communication
We actively communicate with our users through push notifications, community announcements, and more. Our help section in the app can resolve all queries/complaints in a jiffy.

Official App Download Links Of Meesho: Android iOS

User Support:  legalsupport@meesho.com In a case of fraud or scam, reach out to us for further clarity from our side.

Meesho social media account - We also update about our exciting events and offers through our social media accounts:

Official Instagram Pages of Meesho: meeshoapp, lifeatmeesho
Official Twitter Account of Meesho: @Meesho_Official
Official Medium Account of Meesho: meesho-tech

We at Meesho take strong measures to ensure the safety of our users and strict actions against fraudsters. However, we need our users to act cautiously to prevent such fraudulent cases and report to us if they encounter one.

For more information, please have a look at our policy on anti-phishing.