Jay Calvert Scams

Lottery Scams

Lottery Scams

Lots of people think that any lottery is a scam, but the ones run by your government or with a valid lottery and gambling license are ok. Odds might not be in your favour, though.

The Lottery Scam is when you win a prize out of the blue. You didn’t sign up for it, and you didn’t buy a ticket. You get a call, text message, or email anyway, and guess what? You won the big prize! The prizes are really good too: like gift cards, iPhones, cash, a new car, or even a vacation. But, hang on, there is a catch.

How The Scam Works

You are told you won the lottery, but you didn’t enter it. The prizes range from a $25 gift card to a new car. The catch is that you have to pay a fee to get the prize. That might be in the guise of taxes, processing fees, insurance costs, delivery fees, or legal costs. These fees, you will be told, must be paid up front for you to get your winnings.

They might impersonate real organizations like Canadian Provincial Lottery Corporations, or they might pretend to be from companies like Microsoft or Amazon.

They will ask you for your details for legal purposes, which might include your name, address, phone numbers, driver’s license info, and even your Social Insurance Number and banking details. They will pressure you into paying and providing the information requested. They will use tactics like asking you to act quickly, or they will go to the next person. They might even go as far as showing you very convincing proof of your prize. There have been reports of pictures of the money in a box with a sign being held up with today’s date on it. Anything to get you to hand over your money and the information they want.

Once you give them the information and pay the fee, they are gone. Some variations of this are you pay, and then they come back with another reason to pay, and another, or they need more personal information. Either way, you never hear from them again, but they will clean out your accounts.

Here is an example of what a Lottery Scam email might look like;

Subject: CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE A WINNER
Dear Sir/Madam,
You have been selected in the Microsoft International Lottery.
Your winnings: $2,500,000 USD
Please contact our legal department immediately to process your payment.
Kindly provide your full name, address, age, and bank details.

Regards,
Mr. Edward James
Microsoft Claims Agent

Protecting Yourself

  • If you are told you are a winner, but didn’t enter any contest, it is probably a scam
  • If you are asked to pay a processing fee, or taxes, or anything else to get your winnings, it is a scam
  • In Canada, you don’t have to pay taxes on Lottery Winnings
  • There is no pressure in a legit lottery to claim your prize
  • Lottery officials do not need your bank account information to hand over your prize.
  • Don’t click suspicious links or open attachments
  • Ignore messages from unknown numbers or email addresses
  • Report the scam to the RCMP or your local Police
  • Notify the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Jay Calvert Uncategorized

Romance Scam Awareness Checklist

Romance Scam Checklist

Protect yourself or someone you care about from emotional and financial manipulation. Take this test or print it out for a loved one you suspect is being manipulated by a romance scammer.

Quick Questions: Are These True for You?

Fast & Intense Connection

  • They said “I love you” or “You’re my soulmate” very quickly
  • They contact you multiple times a day — always available, always sweet
  • They shower you with praise, emojis, and promises — it feels “too good to be true”

Can’t Meet or Video Chat

  • They refuse or avoid video calls
  • They give excuses for not visiting — military deployment, oil rig, working overseas
  • They say their camera is broken, or they are too busy

Request for Money or Help

  • They claim to be in a crisis: medical emergency, legal issue, stuck at customs
  • They ask for money, gift cards, Bitcoin, or bank transfers
  • They promise to pay you back soon, but never do

Controlling or Secretive Behavior

  • They tell you to keep the relationship private or secret from friends/family
  • They say, “They just wouldn’t understand our love.”
  • You feel guilt or pressure when you hesitate to help
  • Something Feels Off
  • Their story changes or doesn’t add up
  • Their social media looks empty or recently created
  • You haven’t heard their real voice, seen them live, or met them in person

If You Said Yes to 3 or More Boxes:

You may be communicating with a romance scammer.
They are likely targeting you for money, identity theft, or emotional manipulation.

What To Do Now

  • Stop responding — block them on all platforms.
  • Don’t send money, gift cards, or crypto.
  • Talk to a trusted friend, family member, or community group.
  • Save messages, images, and payment records.
  • Report the scam to:
    • Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (1-888-495-8501)
    • RCMP / Local police
    • The dating or social media platform
Jay Calvert Scams

Brushing Scam

Brushing Scams

A Brushing scam occurs when somebody uses your address and possibly your name. They set up an account on an online marketplace or retailer like Amazon or AliExpress. They then place orders under this account, and you get sent the packages. They are for cheap items, usually under a few dollars, so the cost isn’t high for the scammer. The scammers post a 5-star review as you on the site. They use the account they set up with your shipping details. You don’t pay a thing here, and you aren’t really the target of this scam (in this case). The target is the online marketplace or retailer. They use the confirmed purchase reviews to help boost sales of the product(s). They might be involved with the products or outsourced to gather ‘real’ reviews.

They don’t have your billing information, so you aren’t charged for the products. If you receive the items, you can either keep them or donate them. I recommend contacting the marketplace. Inform them about what has transpired. This way, they can take action on their end.

How The Scammers Got Your Information

The scammers likely found your information through publicly accessible sources. These include a phone number listing or a possible leak. Your address might have just come from somebody walking down the street. As mentioned before on this site, you can check to see if your data has been included in any data leaks on https://haveibeenpwned.com. I suggest you do this regularly, you can learn more about HaveIBeenPwned here.

Alternatives To The Brushing Scam

Credit Card Fraud

If you happen to receive expensive items, this is not a brushing scam. People have been known to receive new iPhones, or expensive headphones, etc. This is more than likely somebody buying items with a stolen credit card and are shipping the items to your address so they don’t get caught. They will then plan to pick up the packages from your address before you get to them. This would fall under credit card fraud. You should contact your local authorities or RCMP.

Card Testing Scam

Scammers use stolen credit cards to place small orders to verify if the stolen card works

Survey/Prize Entry Brushing Variant

A fake contest or survey gathers names and addresses, then the information is used in a brushing scam.

How To Protect Yourself

This one is hard to avoid. Your address is public, and anybody can see it just by walking down the street. They can also find it in a directory listing. As mentioned, if you receive cheap items that you didn’t order, contact the originating marketplace and discuss it with them. If you receive expensive items, contact your local police or RCMP, as this is a much more serious issue.