Lottery scams: how to spot a fake winner notice
Quick answer
If someone says you've won a lottery or prize you never entered, and asks you to pay fees or taxes first, it's a scam. The FTC says a real prize never costs you anything. Don't pay or share bank details. Report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
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How it works
You get a call, text, email or letter saying you've won a lottery, sweepstakes or big prize. Often you never bought a ticket. To collect, you're told to pay first: "taxes", "shipping and handling" or a "processing fee". The FTC says anyone who asks you to pay to get a prize is a scammer.
Payment is pushed by wire transfer, payment app, cash, gift card or cryptocurrency, because it's hard to trace. Some scammers send a check and ask you to deposit it and send part back. The check bounces later and you owe the bank.
They may also ask for your bank account number or Social Security number "to send the prize". The FTC says there is no reason to give either to claim a prize. Scammers also pretend to be well-known names like Publishers Clearing House, or even the FTC, which doesn't give out prizes.
Red flags
- You "won" a lottery or contest you never entered
- You have to pay a fee, tax or shipping cost to collect
- Payment by wire, gift card, cash, payment app or crypto
- A request for your bank account or Social Security number
- Pressure to act fast or keep the win secret
- A check that you're told to deposit and send part of back
Example message
Congratulations! Your number was selected in the national sweepstakes and you've won [amount]. To release your prize, pay the [fee] processing charge today. Call [phone number] or reply to this message with your details.
What to do
- 1
Don't pay and don't reply
Delete the message or hang up. Don't press buttons or call a number it gives you.
- 2
Check any prize yourself
If you think a real company might be involved, find its contact details on its official site, not from the message.
- 3
If you paid, call your payment provider now
Contact your bank, card issuer, payment app or the gift card company, say it was fraud and ask them to stop or reverse it.
- 4
If you deposited a check, tell your bank
Don't send money back. The check will likely fail and the bank can explain what to do.
- 5
If you shared bank or ID details, protect your accounts
Change passwords, turn on two-step verification and consider a credit freeze. Our guide on what to do after a data breach covers the steps.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Prize scammers buy or collect lists of names, phone numbers and addresses, and some target older adults or people who've entered contests before. That information is easy to find on people-search sites and in breach data. Serus finds the data brokers that list you and removes your listings, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
Frequently asked
Do real lotteries ask you to pay to collect a prize?
No. The FTC says a real prize doesn't cost you anything. Anyone asking for fees, taxes or shipping money up front is a scammer.
I never entered a lottery. Could I still have won?
Not by being picked from nowhere. Be suspicious of any win for a contest you didn't enter.
Does the FTC give out prizes?
No. The FTC doesn't give free prizes, certify them or verify them.
What if they sent me a check?
Don't deposit it and send money back. Fake checks can take days to bounce, and you'd owe the bank.
Sources
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