Lottery Scams: Warning Signs and What to Do

A real lottery never asks you to pay money to collect a prize. If a call, text, email or video call says you have won but must first pay a fee, tax or "processing charge," it is a scam. The Federal Trade Commission puts it plainly: if you have to pay to get your prize, it is not a prize.

Common warning signs

• You are told you won a lottery or sweepstakes you never entered.
• You are asked to pay by wire transfer, gift card, cryptocurrency or a payment app.
• Someone wants your bank account, card number or Social Security number "to deposit the winnings."
• You are pressured to act now or keep it secret.
• The prize comes from a foreign lottery. The FTC notes it is illegal for U.S. players to take part in a foreign lottery by phone or mail.

A newer twist: video calls

In September, West Virginia's attorney general warned about scammers who start a WhatsApp or FaceTime video call, often from an email address, with their own screen left black while they can see you. The script is the same "you have won" pitch. Hang up, and call any organization back using a number you already know is real. Caller ID can be faked.

How real prizes work

You find out you won a lottery prize by checking your own ticket against the published results, then claiming it through your state lottery's official process. Nobody needs your bank details first, and no government agency will call demanding money before it releases a prize.

If you were targeted

• Stop all contact and do not send money.
• If you already paid, contact your bank or the gift card company right away.
• Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.
• Tell older relatives about it. Scammers often target people who live alone.

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