Winning doesn't cost you!

In a news release on its web site, the Canada Revenue Agency reminds Canadians about scams involving sweepstakes and lotters. Winners of sweepstakes and lotteries in Canada DO NOT have to pay fees and taxes in order to claim their prizes.

"The CRA has issued warnings in the past about scams in which individuals are informed they have won a large sum of money in a lottery or sweepstakes, usually from a foreign country. The individual is usually contacted by a legitimate-sounding financial institution claiming that it has a bank draft from a foreign sweepstakes company that is payable to him or her. The individual is told that, in order to receive the prize, they must first pay part of the taxes allegedly owed on the prize amount."

According to the CRA, no taxes or fees of any kind have to be paid on lottery or sweepstakes winnings in Canada. "Any unsolicited email, letter or telephone call telling you otherwise is a scam", they warn.

For more information on this news release or further information on frauds and scams involving lotteries, sweepstakes, and related winnings, please see:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/newsroom/releases/2008/mar/nr080319-e.html