Prize, lottery and unexpected-money scams: pay first to receive something that is not real

The promise arrives before the obligation

The message says you won a lottery, sweepstakes, grant, inheritance, refund or prize. Then an obstacle appears: tax, customs duty, insurance, legal processing, account verification or a release fee.

The story changes, but the financial structure is the same: you must send real money before receiving money that has not been independently verified.

Warning signs

• you supposedly won a contest you do not remember entering;
• the sender insists a legitimate prize requires advance payment;
• payment must be by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or other hard-to-reverse method;
• an official-looking organization or government name is used to add credibility;
• you are asked for bank details or identity documents simply to “claim” the money;
• a check arrives and you are told to send part of it elsewhere.

Verify the event, not the sender's paperwork

Look up the real contest, company, estate administrator or agency independently. Certificates, seals and screenshots supplied by the sender are not independent evidence.

If the sender says a government authority is holding your prize, contact that authority through its official site rather than through the message.