Category: Prize/Lottery
Current concern level: Moderate to high concern
How it works
You get a message saying you won a large prize, grant, or lottery. Before receiving it, you are asked to pay fees, taxes, or shipping costs.
Red flags
- You are told you won something you did not enter.
- The sender demands upfront payment.
- Payment requests include gift cards, wire transfer, or crypto.
- The scammer says “do not tell anyone yet.”
What to do
- End communication and verify independently.
- Keep the message for reporting.
- Discuss suspicious prizes with a trusted person.
What never to do
- Never pay upfront to receive winnings.
- Never share banking details to “release” a prize.
- Never trust urgency tied to fake deadlines.
If money was sent: steps
- Contact your payment provider right away.
- Save all receipts and communication records.
- Report the incident to FTC and IC3.
- Watch for follow-up recovery scams.
How to report
- FTC: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
- FBI IC3: https://www.ic3.gov/