Consumers get called by persons who claim to work for "Euromillionen" or other alleged lottery providers. But in fact these persons try to get the consumer's bank data.
There are several strategies:
- They claim that the consumers have participated in a lottery and won. In order to get their price, they have to state their bank data.
- They claim that the consumers promised to take part. Now they would owe charges to the provider. In order to pay them, they have to state their bank data.
- They claim that the consumers, by participating, subscriped or became members. In order to cancel, they have to state their bank data.
It's a basic principle that: You can only participate in a lottery when you actively purchased and filled a lottery ticket in a shop or online.
Game communities
So called game communities sound tempting as they are advertising the possibility to play lotto at a reduced rate. The truth is that several persons share the costs for lottery tickets - but also pool the profit. Caution: In most cases this means an actual and binding membership!
"Cold Calling"
If you get a sudden call for promotional purposes from a firm you don't know, it is called "Cold Calling". If you got persuaded to participate in a lottery during the call, there's no need to worry as such a contract according to Austrian law is void (invalid). On our website you find a sample letter which you can send to such firms.
Beware of recordings
The firms often aim at getting specific sentences from the consumer during the call. The recording of the conversation later is cut in a way that only the alleged approval of the consumer as well as his bank data is left. The shady firms use such edited compilations as evidence for the "voluntary" conclusion of the contract. It is therefore necessary to be very careful during recorded phone calls.
Further tips
Check your mail carefully! If you receive a welcome letter or a registration confirmation, you should react. Don't just throw it away, but send a registered letter to the firm. This letter should include: You never agreed on participating in a lottery respectively that, if you did, the contract is void due to the fact that it was Cold Calling. To be on the safe side, withdraw from any possibly existing contracts (see sample letter).
