Scam library · Phone calls · Seniors · Email & phishing
Lottery or sweepstakes winner scam
'Congratulations! You've won $2.5 million and a new car in our sweepstakes.' To claim it, you need to pay a processing fee or taxes first, by gift card, wire or crypto.
You can't win a contest you didn't enter, and real prizes don't require payment.
What the message looks like
From: Letter from 'International Lottery Commission'
You have been selected as winner of $2,500,000.00 in the International Lottery draw.
To release your funds, a tax and processing fee of $1,950 must be paid within 10 days.
How this scam works
Prize scammers call, email, text, mail letters, or message on social media. They may claim to be from well-known companies or government 'lottery commissions'. Foreign lottery winnings are a common story, even though it's illegal to play foreign lotteries by mail or phone in the U.S.
After the first fee, there's always another one: insurance, customs, legal costs. Some scammers keep calling for years and target the same people repeatedly.
Some send a fake check for part of the winnings and ask you to send back money for fees.
The FTC is clear: real sweepstakes are free, and it's illegal for a company to make you pay to collect a prize. You may owe taxes on a real prize, but you'd pay them to the IRS, not to the company that awarded it.
Scammers often sound friendly and excited, like they're happy for you. Others turn threatening when you hesitate, saying you'll lose the prize or face legal trouble. Both are tactics. And if you've responded once, your name may end up on lists that scammers share, which is why some people get these calls again and again.
A helpful rule for the whole family: any 'win' that costs money to collect is a loss.
Red flags
- Winning a contest you didn't enter.
- Fees, taxes or insurance to claim a prize.
- Payment by gift card, wire, crypto or cash.
- Foreign lottery winnings.
- Pressure to act quickly or keep it secret.
How to tell it’s fake
- Ask yourself whether you entered.
- Look up the company yourself and call them.
- Remember real sweepstakes are free.
- Never deposit a check from a prize and send money back.
What to do if you clicked, paid or shared info
Don’t panic, and don’t blame yourself. These scams are built by professionals. Act quickly, one step at a time.
If you clicked a link or called back
- Stop responding. Report to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
If you paid
- If you paid, contact your bank or the gift card company immediately.
If you shared personal info, a password or a code
- If you shared personal details, watch for identity theft and visit IdentityTheft.gov.
Where to report and get help (U.S.)
If a message seems legit and you’re still not sure, get a second opinion before you act. Reporting helps stop scammers, even if money can’t be recovered. If you are in danger, call 911.
- Your bank or card issuer
Call the number on the back of your card or on your statement, not one from the message. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and to watch the account. - Federal Trade Commission (FTC) · ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Report the scam and get a step-by-step recovery plan. - FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) · ic3.gov
Report scams that happened online, especially if money was lost. Include phone numbers, websites and payment details. - AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline · aarp.org helpline
Free, for anyone of any age: trained volunteers help you sort out next steps. 877-908-3360, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. - IdentityTheft.gov · IdentityTheft.gov
If you shared your Social Security number or someone opened accounts in your name.
How Gmork Scam Guard would warn you
Scam Guard in Chrome and Edge on your computer checks prize emails and claim websites. It recognizes fee-to-claim pages and fake sweepstakes sites and warns before you pay. If a prize seems legit, get a scam expert's opinion first.
Scam Guard can miss things, so the checks above still matter. See what it warns about and what it keeps private.
Questions people ask
- Do I have to pay taxes to get a prize?
- Not to the prize company. Taxes on real prizes go to the IRS.
- Is a foreign lottery real?
- Playing foreign lotteries by mail or phone is illegal in the U.S., and these offers are scams.
- They sent me a check. Should I deposit it?
- No. Fake checks bounce after you've sent money.
- Why do they keep calling?
- Scammers target people who responded before. Hang up.