Scammers are in business to make money and are constantly seeking new ways to defraud their victims. Unfortunately, there's no single solution to avoid becoming a victim of crime. There are some easy steps you can take, however, that can help prevent the crime from occurring or minimize the damage in the event it does. Make it a priority to discuss the facts with your friends and family. And share these tips with your friends on social networking sites.

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Place your telephone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. It's fast and free. Visit www.donotcall.gov or you can add your number to the Registry by calling 888-382-1222 from the phone you wish to register.
Contact the phone company to discuss blocking incoming international calls and restricting outgoing ones. Consider an unlisted telephone number.
Talk to banks and brokerages about steps you can take to protect accounts from unauthorized activity.
Contact the Social Security Administration, if applicable, and place a password on your account to prevent criminals from redirecting payments.
Set social media sites to "private."

To report foreign lottery
fraud call 1-877-876-2455

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