All news

Mississippi Lottery issues warning about app impersonation schemes

Fraudulent app downloads promise lottery tickets but deliver only theft.

A hand holding a mobile phone displaying a warning about scams.
Samantha Herscher

The Mississippi Lottery has no app—don't fall for the scam. 

Fraudulent social media posts are targeting Mississippi residents with a dangerous lie. These posts claim you can download an app to buy Mississippi Lottery tickets online.

Here's the truth: The Mississippi Lottery Corporation does not have an app. You cannot buy Mississippi Lottery tickets online. Period.

How the scam works

Scammers post on social media platforms encouraging people to download fake apps. These apps claim to sell legitimate Mississippi Lottery tickets. They don't.

Instead, these fraudulent apps steal your personal information and financial data. They may also charge your credit card without delivering any real lottery tickets.

Where can you actually buy Mississippi Lottery tickets?

Official Mississippi Lottery tickets and scratch-offs are only available through authorized retailers across the state. You must visit a physical location to make a purchase.

Want to verify if a retailer is authorized? The Mississippi Lottery Corporation maintains a list of official retailers on its website.

Red flags to watch for

How do you spot these scams? Look for these warning signs:

  • Social media posts promoting lottery apps for Mississippi
  • Apps claiming to sell Mississippi Lottery tickets online
  • Requests for personal or financial information from unofficial sources
  • Links that seem suspicious or redirect to unfamiliar websites

What should you do if you encounter a scam?

Don't click suspicious links. Don't download questionable apps. Don't provide personal or financial information to third-party sources claiming to sell Mississippi Lottery tickets.

If you have questions about the legitimacy of Mississippi Lottery information, call their Customer Service Team at 601-487-1355.

Which states actually allow online lottery purchases?

Mississippi isn't alone in prohibiting online lottery sales. Most states require in-person purchases.

However, 14 states and jurisdictions do allow online lottery ticket sales:

  • Connecticut
  • The District of Columbia
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Kentucky
  • Michigan
  • New Hampshire
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania
  • Tennessee
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia

Do any states have official lottery apps?

Yes, but they're rare. Some states with official lottery apps include:

  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Maryland
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania
  • Tennessee
  • Texas

Notice Mississippi isn't on this list? That's because they don't have one.

The bottom line

The Mississippi Lottery Corporation is crystal clear: they have no app, and you cannot buy their tickets online. Any claim otherwise is a scam designed to steal your money and personal information.

Stick to authorized retailers. Stay vigilant about suspicious online offers. When in doubt, call the official customer service number.

Your wallet—and your identity—will thank you.

Comments

0
Loading comments

Related articles

Jawed Areeb, accused of trying to claim a stolen Florida Lottery Fantasy 5 ticket.
The $115K Florida Lottery ticket was real, but the claim wasn't

Investigators say a lottery retailer stole a winning Fantasy 5 ticket and sent his nephew to claim the prize.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

The hand of a customer hands over a credit card to the hand of a retailer.
A small lottery purchase ignites a big fight over fair play

Officials say tickets must be sold at face value. Are credit card fees on lottery sales legal?

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

Clyde Fa's mugshot.
Stolen lottery tickets helped unravel a violent robbery spree

Police say cashing the stolen lottery ticket helped tie together weeks of crimes across multiple businesses.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

An image showing a paper representation of a family being broken up.
Tragic wins: Lottery jackpots that broke families

Big lottery wins tore these families apart.

Alex Cramer profile pic

Alex Cramer

Recent articles

View All
A Powerball ticket and a dollar bill on a table.
Featured
The math behind Powerball

First in our series: The Math Behind Powerball exposes the probabilities hiding beneath the jackpot hype.

Dr. Catalin Barboianu profile pic

Dr. Catalin Barboianu

A football with the logos of the NFL and it's participating teams.
Powerball meets the NFL: New details emerge on multi-state game

The NFL-inspired lottery game has been in development for years — here's what's finally coming into focus.

Todd Betzold profile pic

Todd Betzold

The televised Swisslos drawing broadcast by the Swiss public channel SRF in 2018, where Andreas Bürkli was wrongly declared the jackpot winner.
Lotteries gone wrong: These million-dollar mistakes cost players big

These players lost millions because of mistakes by the lottery.

Alex Cramer profile pic

Alex Cramer

The logos for Millionaire for Life, Lucky for Life, and Cash4Life over a sky blue background with confetti.
31 states retire legacy lottery games for new daily millionaire draw

Here's what happens to Cash4Life and Lucky for Life tickets after February 21.

Samantha Herscher profile pic

Samantha Herscher