Lottery / Prize Scam
Scammers claim you won a prize and demand fees or personal info.
Severity: MediumPrevalence: CommonLast Updated: 2026-02-10
Target Audiences
How It Works
Victims are told they won a lottery or sweepstakes they never entered. The notification arrives by phone, email, or SMS and looks official. To "release" the prize, the victim must pay processing fees, taxes, or provide bank details for the transfer. In reality, no prize exists. Each fee paid leads to another request, stringing the victim along. Scammers may send fake checks or official-looking documents to make the scam more convincing.
Red Flags
- Winning a lottery or contest you never entered – you can't win something you didn't sign up for.
- Payment required to claim prize – real lotteries deduct taxes from winnings; they never ask winners to pay upfront.
- Requests for secrecy – being told not to tell anyone about the "win" is a manipulation tactic.
- Foreign lottery organizations – notifications from unknown international lottery bodies are almost always scams.
Protect Yourself
- Legitimate lotteries never charge fees to collect winnings – if asked to pay, it is a scam.
- Never share bank account details or personal identification in response to a prize notification.
- Verify any prize claim through the official lottery organization's website or customer service.
Visual Examples
What To Do If You've Been Scammed
- Stop communication with the scammer immediately and block their number or email.
- Report the scam to police and consumer protection authorities.
- If you already paid money – contact your bank immediately to attempt a reversal or chargeback.
- Block the sender on all channels to prevent further contact.