The mythical story of the “pot of gold” says to search for the treasure at the end of a rainbow, but scammers will have you believe that the pot of gold is coming directly to you. Among their favorite tricks are foreign lottery scams. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) warns that foreign lottery promotions are phony - and illegal.

“It is a violation of federal law to participate in a foreign lottery, but that doesn’t stop scammers from pitching them for a quick payout,” said Michelle Reinen, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protectio...