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Loans & credit

Prize and lottery advance-fee scams

An unexpected prize requires taxes, delivery or registration fees first, while the promised prize does not exist.

See response steps Share this in a workshop
A person holding a payment card beside a laptop

If you have one minute

Pause, then verify independently.

A win without entering

Before paying

Verify with the organizer independently

See verification steps →

If you paid or shared details

Stop all further fees

See response steps →

Start with these three signs

  • A win without entering
  • Payment required to claim
  • Requests card details or verification codes

How the situation unfolds

  1. Contact

    Prize calls, emails, pop-ups or social messages.

  2. The lure

    You have been selected; pay today to keep your prize.

  3. The demand and outcome

    Recognizable brands or official identities lend credibility. A deadline prevents checking while new collection fees appear.

Verify these things before paying

  1. Verify with the organizer independently
  2. Do not pay for unsolicited prizes
  3. Avoid unfamiliar claim links

Already engaged or paid?

  1. Stop all further fees
  2. Alert the payment provider and protect exposed accounts
  3. Keep prize notices and payments; report them

Contact your payment provider and local police promptly. The responsible institution must confirm whether a payment can be stopped, disputed or returned.

Keep these records

Prize notice
Organizer name and URL
Fee demands and messages
Transfer records

Keep originals and organise working copies. Never give strangers verification codes, banking passwords, private keys or seed phrases.

Original references

  • Federal Trade Commission (FTC)Publisher location：United States · EnglishOpen the original reference ↗https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/fake-prize-sweepstakes-and-lottery-scams

This page summarises public prevention guidance to help recognise methods. It is not an enforcement conclusion about a particular incident. Check the source page for its original title. Procedures and reporting routes vary by jurisdiction. Compiled October 2026.

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