In short
You've won a phone, a lottery or a supermarket reward. You just need to pay a small fee. How prize scams and fake giveaways work.
Top warning signs: You didn't enter; A fee to claim; Expiring points or rewards.
First thing to do: Ignore and delete. Check any real loyalty balance in the official app.
How the scam works
Fake prizes collect card details through small “shipping” fees, or sign you up to hidden recurring subscriptions. Lottery versions ask for “taxes” or “release fees” before paying out. The prize never exists.
Red flags to look for
- You didn't enter. You can't win a competition you never joined.
- A fee to claim. Real prizes don't require payment.
- Expiring points or rewards. Check in the official app instead.
What to do if you get one
- Ignore and delete. Check any real loyalty balance in the official app.
- Report the message to your carrier or email provider.
If you already paid or shared details
Act quickly. It makes a difference.
- Call your bank to block the card, and look for recurring charges you didn't agree to.
More help: what to do after a scam, and where to report it in your country.
How to protect yourself next time
Take your details off data broker sites
Scammers buy phone numbers, home addresses and family details from people-search and data broker sites. The less of that is public, the fewer and less convincing the scam messages you get.
Free: You can ask each site to delete your details yourself. In the EU and the UK, data protection law gives you that right.
- Incogni Partner link Sends removal requests to data brokers for you, and keeps sending them.
Keep security software with web protection on your devices
It blocks many known scam and malware websites and warns about dangerous apps. That matters most if you installed an app or "support" tool someone asked you to.
Free: Keep your phone and browser updated, and leave Google Play Protect or Microsoft Defender switched on. Both are free.
- Bitdefender Partner link Security suite for phone and computer with web and scam protection.
Compare the tools that help, and what each costs
Links marked Partner link may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes our advice, and the free option always comes first. Affiliate disclosure.
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Official sources and further reading
We check our guides against advice from government agencies and consumer protection bodies.
- Fake Prize, Sweepstakes, and Lottery Scams (US Federal Trade Commission)
- Unexpected money scams (Scamwatch, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)
- Prize and lottery fraud (Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre)
