Lottery scams: Everything you need to know to protect yourself

What is a lottery scam?  

A lottery scam is a fraudulent scheme in which scammers pose as representatives of a legitimate lottery organization (or invent an entirely fictional one) and falsely inform individuals that they have won a lottery or sweepstakes prize. However, the "winner" must provide sensitive personal or financial information or pay fees to claim their supposed winnings. In reality, the winnings are fake, and the scammers disappear with their victim’s money.

Lottery and sweepstakes scams can appear in many forms, including emails, phone calls, text messages, mailed letters, or direct messages on social media. Some impersonate well-known lotteries like Powerball, Mega Millions, or international games. Others create fake sweepstakes or brand-name promotions.

How does a lottery scam work?

Lottery and sweepstakes scams often follow a pattern. Many are designed to look official and feel urgent in order to catch you off guard. These lottery scams typically unfold in several stages.

1. Unsolicited contact. It starts with a message you weren't expecting: "Congratulations! You've won $2.5 million in the Global Mega Lottery!" It may come as an email, a text, a phone call, or a physical letter with official-looking logos.
2. A fake win. The message claims you've won a large sum of money or a high-value prize (like a car, vacation, or luxury electronics). It often mentions that your name or email was "randomly selected" to make the lie seem less suspicious.
3. Pressure to act fast. You're told to respond quickly: "Claim your prize money within 24 hours!" This urgency is intentional. Scammers want you to feel rushed so you don't stop to ask questions or double-check the details.
4. Requests for personal or financial information. To "verify your identity," the scammers'll ask for sensitive information like your full name, address, date of birth, banking details, or a copy of your ID. This data can later be used for identity theft or to target you with more scams.
5. Demands for payment. To unlock your "prize," you're asked to pay a fee, tax, or international wire transfer charges. 
6. Disappearance or escalation. Once the scammers talk you into providing money or personal information, they ghost you. Or worse, they might continue to mislead you, promising that just one more payment will unlock your winnings.

Signs of lottery scams

Recognizing the signs of lottery and sweepstakes scams can save you from becoming a victim. Let’s look at the most common red flags of these fraudulent schemes. If you spot something similar, pause and investigate before taking action.

You didn't enter any lottery

Unsolicited contact is the biggest red flag. You can't win something you didn't enter. Also, real lotteries don't award prizes based on randomly chosen email addresses or phone numbers.

You're asked to pay a fee or tax upfront

Legitimate lotteries never ask winners to pay anything out of pocket to receive their prize money. If someone demands money to "unlock" your winnings, it's a scam.

Too-good-to-be-true prizes

If someone claims you've won millions of dollars, a new car, or an all-expenses-paid trip, while you've done nothing to earn it, it's likely fake.

Poor grammar, typos, or strange formatting

Look for poor grammar, awkward phrases, misspellings, or formatting issues. Scam messages are often written quickly, without prioritizing professionalism.

Example: "Congratulation!!! Your email has been selekted for the INTERNATIONALL LOTTO PRIZE!!"

Suspicious email addresses or phone numbers

Legitimate lotteries don't contact winners using Gmail or Yahoo accounts, and they don't call from unknown numbers with blocked caller IDs. However, remember that many scammers use spoofing to make their messages seem more convincing, like showing a US area code or mimicking the email address of a real company. 

Most common lottery scam types

Scammers are adaptable and constantly find new ways to deliver the same old con. Lottery scams often overlap with different types of phishing, aimed at getting you to hand over personal details or send money. 

Email lottery scams

These scam messages usually claim you won a major prize from a well-known lottery or something vague like the "International Lottery Board." The email may include official-looking logos to make it feel legitimate. Some contain attached "claim forms" or links that install malware if you open them.

Red flag: Seeing an email address that doesn’t match the lottery's real domain.

If you’d like to learn more, check out our guide on how to spot a phishing email.

SMS or WhatsApp prize scams

You receive a short message like: "Congrats! You've won $100,000 in the Google Lottery. Reply YES to claim."

These scams rely on the convenience and speed of texting. If you reply, you may be drawn into a longer con or asked to click on a malicious link.

Red flag: Any message saying you've won something if you didn't enter anything.

Phone call lottery scams

Scammers may call you directly, often using spoofed numbers to appear local or official. These phone scams typically involve someone claiming to be a lottery representative, government official, or lawyer handling your prize. They’re confident, professional-sounding, and prepared with just enough details to make the story seem real.

Red flag: High-pressure tactics, like "This is a one-time opportunity! If you hang up, we'll have to give the prize to someone else."

Social media giveaway scams

You may get a DM from someone pretending to be a public figure or brand page telling you you've won a prize. These scammers often use stolen logos and fake profiles.

Red flag: To claim your prize, you're asked to provide personal details or click a link leading outside of the platform.

Letters with fake checks

In this version, you receive an actual letter and a check made out to you. The letter explains that this check covers part of your lottery "winnings" and asks you to deposit it, then send a portion back to cover upfront fees, taxes, or processing costs.

Red flag: The check will bounce, but your money sent in good faith will be long gone.

Real examples of lottery scams

Lottery scams aren't just theoretical — real people have been targeted and real damage has been done. These examples show how scammers use well-known names and platforms to trick victims into handing over money or personal information.

• Texas Lottery scam. Scammers have used the name of the Texas Lottery Commission in fake calls and emails, often claiming the recipient won a prize but must pay "state taxes" first. The Commission has repeatedly warned that it never contacts winners this way.
• Facebook lottery scam. In one real case, a scammer posing as Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg sent messages to users claiming they'd won a "Facebook Freedom Lottery." Victims were instructed to wire hundreds of dollars to claim the prize.

What to do if you are already a victim of a lottery scam

If you've fallen for a lottery or sweepstakes scam and sent money or personal information, quickly take the following steps.

1. Stop all contact with the scammer. Block their phone number, email address, and any associated accounts on social media or messaging apps.
2. Report the scam. In the US, file a report with:
   • The Federal Trade Commission (reportfraud.ftc.gov)
   • Your local police
   • The platform used (such as Facebook orWhatsApp)
3. Contact your bank or payment provider. Call your bank or service (like PayPal, or Western Union) immediately if you've sent money. In some situations, banks refund scammed money.
4. Check your credit and freeze it if necessary. If you’ve shared personal details, place a fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus to protect your financial data. Then watch for signs of identity theft, like unfamiliar accounts or suspicious activity. If you notice anything unusual, report identity theft right away at identitytheft.gov.
5. Change your passwords. If you clicked any suspicious links or provided account details, update your passwords and enable two-factor authentication.
6. Seek legal help. If you've lost money to a lottery or sweepstakes scam, a lawyer or a consumer protection agency can guide you through your options and help with any further steps.

How to protect yourself from lottery scams

Scammers rely on urgency, confusion, and misplaced trust. But with a few careful habits, you can protect yourself from sweepstakes and lottery scams. Follow these tips to stay safe.

• Be skeptical of surprise winnings. If you didn't enter a lottery, you haven’t won one.
• Never send money to claim a prize. Legitimate lotteries don't ask winners to pay upfront for taxes, processing fees, or shipping. If you're asked to send money, wire funds, or share account access, it's a scam.
• Check through official channels. If the message mentions a real organization, visit their official website and contact them directly. Don't use the contact info provided in the message.
• Don't click suspicious links. Scam messages often include links that lead to phishing sites or install malware. If you don't recognize the sender or the message contains a promise of a substantial prize you didn't expect, don't click anything.
• Guard your information. Don't share your personal or financial information, including account numbers, PINs, and credit card details, with unsolicited contacts.
• Educate friends and family. Scammers often target older adults. Share this article and have conversations about how lottery and sweepstakes scams work.
• Use spam filters and caller ID. Let your email provider block junk. Don't answer unknown calls. If it's important, they'll leave a voicemail.