Prize and Lottery Win Scam: “You’ve Won!”
Told you’ve won a prize, lottery or gift card you never entered? Learn how prize scams work, why you’re asked to pay, and what to do.
What the message looks like
Scam messages change all the time, but they often look something like this example (the names and links are made up):
How the scam works
A message, letter or call says you’ve won a prize, lottery or gift card. To claim it, you have to pay a small fee for shipping, taxes or processing, or share your bank details so the winnings can be paid. There is no prize. The fee is lost, and the card details you entered may be used again.
Advertisement
Warning signs
- You won something you never entered.
- You must pay to receive a prize. Real prizes don’t require a payment to claim.
- Pressure to claim quickly before the prize “expires.”
- Requests to keep it secret, or to pay by gift card or wire transfer.
- A foreign lottery. In many countries it is illegal to play foreign lotteries by mail or phone.
What to do
- Don’t click links, reply or pay anything.
- If it names a real company, contact that company through its official website to check.
- Report and delete the message.
If you already paid
Contact your bank to block your card and dispute the charge. Expect more scam messages, because people who respond once are often targeted again with “recovery” offers. Real recovery services don’t charge upfront fees.
Not sure if a message is real?
Paste or screenshot it into our free scam checker. You’ll see the warning signs and what to do.
Check it for free