“Congratulations — you’ve won!” It is a wonderful message to receive and a terrible one to believe. Prize and lottery scams turn a moment of excitement into a way to take your money and your details. Our GetMyPassword team explains how to recognize a lottery or prize scam and protect yourself.
How the scam works
You are told you have won a lottery, sweepstakes or prize — often one you never entered. To claim it, you must first pay a “fee,” “tax” or “shipping cost,” or hand over your bank details “to receive the funds.” The prize never arrives, of course. The whole story exists to get money out of you, or enough personal information to raid your accounts.
Red flags to watch for
- You did not enter the lottery or contest you supposedly won.
- You must pay to receive — any upfront fee, tax or charge is the tell.
- Urgency and secrecy — claim now, and do not tell anyone.
- Unofficial contact — a message from a personal email, text or social media account.
- Requests for bank details, card numbers or ID to “process” the win.
The rule that protects you
Hold on to two simple truths and almost every version collapses: you cannot win a lottery you never entered, and a genuine prize never requires an upfront payment. Real winnings are not unlocked by sending money or reading out your card number. If anyone asks you to pay to collect a prize, it is a scam — do not pay, do not share details, and report it.
No real prize asks you to pay to receive it. The fee is not a step toward your winnings — the fee is the scam, and it is the only thing that was ever real.
Protect your accounts and identity
Prize scams often fish for the details that unlock your accounts, not just your cash. Keep your logins out of reach with a unique password from our password generator for every account and two-factor authentication, and guard your bank and identity details as carefully as your money. When a windfall arrives with a catch, treat the catch as the message.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a prize or lottery win is a scam?
The biggest signs are being told you won something you never entered, and being asked to pay a fee, tax or shipping cost upfront. Add urgency, secrecy, unofficial contact and requests for bank or ID details, and it is a scam.
Should I ever pay a fee to claim a prize?
No. A genuine prize never requires an upfront payment to receive it. Any request to pay a “fee,” “tax” or “shipping cost” before you can collect your winnings is a scam, no matter how official it looks.
What should I do if I fell for a prize scam?
Stop all contact, and if you paid, contact your bank right away. If you shared any passwords or logins, change them immediately and turn on two-factor authentication. Report the scam to your local authorities.