Medium riskText Message

Lottery Winner Scam

This scam tells you that you have won a lottery or prize draw you never entered, then asks for an upfront fee, tax payment, or personal details to release the supposed winnings.

Quick verdict

Risk level
Medium risk
Scam type
Prize and lottery scam
Main red flag
Being told you won a lottery you never entered, with a fee or your details needed to claim it.
What to do first
Do not pay anything or share details. A genuine prize never requires an upfront payment to release it.

Understanding this scam

This scam tells you that you have won a lottery or prize draw you never entered, then asks for an upfront fee, tax payment, or personal details to release the supposed winnings.

Text-message scams, known as "smishing", reach you directly on your phone where a link is only a tap away and messages feel personal and urgent. They impersonate trusted senders, banks, couriers, government, or even people you know, and depend on you acting before you pause to verify.

If you take one thing from this guide, make it this: Being told you won a lottery you never entered, with a fee or your details needed to claim it. Do not pay anything or share details. A genuine prize never requires an upfront payment to release it.

If your message looks slightly different, check the Fake Giveaway Scam or the Inheritance Scam, both are close cousins of this pattern. Every related guide lives in the Text Message Scams guides, and the scam checker can scan the text you received.

A typical example

Example pattern, not a real report
Example pattern: 'CONGRATULATIONS! Your number has won £850,000 in the International Mega Draw. To release your prize, pay the £25 processing fee and confirm your bank details here: [suspicious link]'

This is a fictional, anonymised example used to illustrate the pattern. It is not a verified real message, and any names are used only to show how the scam typically reads.

The tell here: Being told you won a lottery you never entered, with a fee or your details needed to claim it.

What the data shows

$330M
reported lost to text-message scams in the US in 2022, more than double the year before
Source: US Federal Trade Commission
#1
fake bank fraud alerts were the most-reported text scam type in 2022
Source: US Federal Trade Commission

Warning signs

  • You are told you won a lottery or draw you never entered
  • An upfront fee, tax, or 'processing charge' is required before you can collect
  • A request for bank, card, or identity details to release the prize
  • Pressure to act quickly or keep the win 'confidential'
  • Contact from an unfamiliar number, free email address, or messaging app

Your safest response

  • Do not pay any fee or share personal or banking details
  • Treat any unexpected 'you have won' message as suspicious, especially for a draw you never entered
  • Search the named lottery or organisation separately to check it exists and how it really operates
  • Delete the message, block the sender, and report it to your anti-fraud centre

If you have already engaged

  • Do not enter any more information on the page
  • If you shared card or bank details, contact your bank to flag or freeze the card
  • Change the password for any account where you reused that login
  • Watch your statements for unexpected charges or withdrawals

What to avoid

  • Do not pay a fee or 'tax' to release winnings
  • Do not share your bank account or identity documents
  • Do not reply to confirm or 'verify' your win

You might also see

Medium risk Social Media

Fake Giveaway Scam

This scam tells you that you won a prize or giveaway, then asks for a fee, your login, or personal details to 'claim' it.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
Medium risk Email

Inheritance Scam

This scam emails you out of the blue claiming you are the beneficiary of a large inheritance or unclaimed estate, often from a distant relative or stranger, then asks for fees, bank details, or documents to 'release' the money that never exists.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team
High risk Government & Tax

Government Grant Scam

This scam uses a message, call, or social media post claiming you qualify for a free government grant, then asks for a processing fee or your bank details to 'release' money that does not actually exist.

Created by Scam or Safe Editorial Team

Questions people ask

Can a real lottery ask me to pay a fee to collect my prize?
Legitimate lotteries do not ask winners to pay an upfront fee, tax, or charge to release winnings. A demand for payment before you can collect is a common scam pattern.
I never bought a ticket, so how could I have won?
You cannot win a draw you never entered. Messages claiming you won a lottery you did not take part in are a strong sign of a scam.
They knew my name, so is it genuine?
Scammers often include your name to seem credible, using details from data breaches or public sources. Knowing your name does not make a prize real.
How can I report a lottery winner scam?
You can report it to your mobile provider or email provider, and to your national anti-fraud centre. Keep a copy of the message before deleting it.

Last reviewed June 2026 · Written & reviewed by the

Disclaimer: This page provides educational information only to help you recognise common scam patterns. It is not legal, financial, cybersecurity, or law enforcement advice, and it does not confirm whether any specific message, company, or person is genuine or fraudulent. When in doubt, contact the official organisation directly and report concerns to your local authorities.