FreeLotto Exposed — Will You Get Paid or It’s Just a Big Free Lotto Scam?
FreeLotto Review
FreeLotto.com (FreeLotto.site at the moment) is a sweepstakes site that awards members cash and other prizes including cars. People register as a member and then pick their numbers. Okay, maybe it’s not quite that simple, but FreeLotto.com claims to have to date awarded over $95 million. People don’t need a credit card so how does FreeLotto.com make money and how is it able to pay winnings? That’s the big question. Get ready to have your email address flooded with promotional material, spam, and other links to sites that might cost money.
Is TheLotter legit in some parts of the USA?
What Is FreeLotto?
The site was established in 1999 and is owned by PlasmaNet Inc., a company based in New York, USA. This sweepstakes site is not a place to purchase lottery tickets. Players can play six games daily and register up to 10 accounts.
After choosing their numbers for each game, players click on the banner ad of a sponsor and answer a multiple-choice question or click on the FreeBet button. From time to time, FreeLotto.com may ask brief questions about buying preferences. The home site is in English, but FreeLotto also has Spanish, French, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Suomi, and Swedish versions.
First Impressions
It’s evident that something isn’t right the moment you visit the FreeLotto website. The design is outdated, and it pretty much looks like the popup banners that used to plague our computer screens some time ago. Grandiose promises are made right on the homepage, and FreeLotto promises you that you can win more than one million dollars the moment you sign up. Websites that get started with such promises aren’t the most trustworthy ones (unless they can state rather clearly how such opportunities come about).
The homepage features the names and pictures of people that have supposedly become millionaires using FreeLotto. We tried to run a quick online check and figure out whether these people are real and if they’d won money.
We went at random with Isabelle Bradley, who supposedly won 10 million dollars through the website. Interestingly enough, no media or news website has reported such a spectacular win. After all, if it were that simple to become a millionaire, the chances are that the media would jump on the bandwagon immediately.
It’s exciting to point out that the name has taken us to a website called ScamVictimsUnited (uh-oh, not a good start)! The forum features tens of accounts written by people that tried to replicate Isabelle’s success but were unable to claim their FreeLotto prizes.
Alright, maybe there weren’t any reports about Isabelle. This is why we decided to search for a second FreeLotto millionaire. According to the website, Zhivko Zhelev from Bulgaria won 100 million dollars. Now, Bulgaria is a small European country, and it has some of the lowest salaries in the EU. Such a massive winning is big news, and at least a few media should have covered it. There’s whatsoever, no information about such a millionaire.
The final thing we tried to do is reverse the Google image search for Zhivko’s photo. This approach would at least confirm that the person is real. Unfortunately, the picture appears solely on the FreeLotto website. There’s no Facebook profile or another account that features the picture. The same applies to Isabelle’s picture.
Who Can Play at FreeLotto.com?
FreeLotto.com lists under its rules the countries people can NOT play from. Besides underlining, that no one can play from “the United States of America Department of State Trading with the Enemies Countries list”, – there are also state restrictions for some of the USA and Quebec in Canada. A few other countries are listed as not being allowed to participate under the Rules section.
FreeLotto.com – The Catch
This site is supported by advertising, promotions, surveys, and other communication that funds the prizes and pays Freelotto.com. Though they don’t explicitly say they will share your email account with third parties, it is implied that there are also links to other opportunities.
It’s also interesting to point out that if you supposedly win, you don’t get any information about it through the website or your account there. No, no – that would be too simple and legitimate! Rather, you get an email notification in the form of “First name, last name, YOU HAVE WON!” Does that ring a bell? It pretty much looks like the mail lottery scams we write about so frequently.
Also, you’re supposed to wait for a transaction number that will supposedly give you access to the money. There’s no direct transfer of funds because FreeLotto doesn’t ask for your financial information and doesn’t credit money to your account. As you can see, believing that you’ll get any money in this very, very complex method is definitely a stretch of the imagination.
The website doesn’t make a single mention of the exact mechanism by which the money’s going to be paid. Its FAQ section features a convoluted explanation that doesn’t make any sense. In summary, any website that doesn’t have a specific and clearly explained payment method is to be avoided.
FreeLotto.com Customer Support
The site only provides a PO Box located in the State of New York, USA. There is no phone number, email address, or live chat. All communication is conducted through an online form. As there is no need to purchase anything (or so you think), there are no payment options.
Your Inbox Under Siege
FreeLotto.com works with partners and advertisers to survive. It is only natural to expect that after registering, you will be at the mercy of these companies. You’ve given them permission for the value of promises of prizes and money. You provide your name and address. There are reports about being unable to unsubscribe once you have registered your personal details online. Some players have also said they have had continual problems even after they canceled their membership with FreeLotto.com [complaintsboard.com].
FreeLotto Complaints
Usually, it takes a bit of work to dig up complaints about the online lottery and sweepstake vendors, but ripoffreport.com is an excellent starting point. The amount and range of complaints are quite extensive.
Some players commented they were unable to redeem a prize, as the small print in the Terms and Conditions states that you would need to contact them with specific information at a precise time and date. Other comments include the password reset link did not respond to multiple requests and some affiliates reported that they had sent loads of traffic to Freelotto.com but did not get paid for their efforts [epinions.com].
Now about the LottoExposed.com experience. Look, what we got a couple of days ago. Oops, it looks like we have won one million pounds – NOT! Stay away from such ‘good news,’ folks!
Why You Should Register with FreeLotto
Pros:
It’s Free
It’s a Sweepstake
Why You Shouldn’t Register with FreeLotto
Cons:
No Contact Details
No Customer Service
No Information
Information about Winners Is Largely Falsified
There isn’t a Clear Explanation about how a Prize Can Be Claimed – Long and Convoluted FAQ Section
It May Be Very Difficult, Even Impossible to Unsubscribe from Their Spam Emails
Is FreeLotto Legit?
I don’t think I have ever seen that many diverse complaints about an online sweepstakes/lottery site. The fact that there is no direct way to contact Freelotto.com makes this all the more serious. There is no street address or telephone number; only their online form. Worse, there is every indication that your contact details will be shared so you’ll not be sure who will/could contact you next.
If you want to get involved in winning money online, stick with the tried and true online lottery sites, and pay for your tickets. The bottom line is that you usually get what you pay for – though in this case paying nothing might actually get you an Inbox full of spam emails.
Williams
So, my question about this foolish site is has anyone EVER won and collected the winning? Guess, NO. Because there is no any explanation on how can you claim and collect you winning. In the rules and FAQ there is only explanation why they need your personal data – name, date of birth and email. They say that they will send you check on email, but, hey, checks are not valid unless it is in hardcopy issued by bank or any legal authority. So, yes they send you check on your email and the only thing you can do is to stare at it. NOTHING ELSE! Fraud and big scam!
Connie
Have you read the rules? Ridiculous! Long story short – the draws are when FreeLotto has a draw day. Okay, but there is nowhere stated when is that day. Today, tomorrow, never? So, according to them you have to register, leave your personal data, credit card number and they will have FreeLotto Draw… someday.
Please, people, beware of these scammers. They will never stop!
Arthur Deacon
I joined Freelotto’s FAST service for which I had to pay.
After around 10 days I decided to camcel this subscription as I preferred having personal control of my number picks. Their website was easy to follow and I cancelled my sub. A day later I had a confirmation of cancellation from Freelotto stating that a full refund of my subscription fees will be paid. Two days later the money was credited to my account.
I also have not received any ads from any companies that stems back to my using Freelotto.
It’s therefore strange to see all the bad publicity from others.
Rick
Hi Arthur, your experience is obviously one of a kind. Me for example, I had a really bad experience with Free Lotto. My mail was filled with spam ads, also on email and sometimes on other websites pop up ads were hunting me. I canceled my subscription, reported a spam website to Google and I still see them on my internet surfing. And, yes, they didn’t returned my funds I had to pay at the beginning.
Vera
Hey Arthur,
unless you are from FreeLotto then I guess you haven’t had the full experience with these guys! Just wait and see when they start to spam you with texting on your phone, or when your credit card is sudenly charged or even you got the call that you won something but it is some funny coupon for buying something on the other side of the globe. So, please, just wait and see and for now shhhh…
Zoe
Even if they are claiming now that the games are “lottery inspired” avoid and never, ever reveal you phone number. It will spam you, call you and charge your credit card!
Paul
Why do they push me every day to use fast track and pay for it by credit card details?
Paul,
No one is pushing you…it’s very simple really, just tag their emails as spam and voilà! You never have to look at their “Advertising” ever again. Remember, this is how they make their money. I’ve played FreeLotto since 2008 -have never won anything…I also play the regular lottery, the kind you pay for and…have never won anything. There are 7 billion people on this planet…nearly all of us are unlucky!