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Prize & lottery bait

You "won" a lottery, gift card or prize you never entered. To claim it you must pay a fee, tax or shipping cost, or hand over personal and banking details. The prize never arrives.

Warning signs

  • You won a contest you never entered.
  • A fee, "tax" or shipping cost is required to release the prize.
  • Pressure to claim quickly and to keep it confidential.

Example

Congratulations! You have won a free gift in our draw. To claim your prize, pay a small processing fee of EUR 2.

Made-up example - not a real message.

How to protect yourself

  1. 01Legitimate prizes never require an up-front payment.
  2. 02Do not share banking details to "receive" winnings.

Already caught out?

  1. 01Stop all payments and contact your bank if you sent money.
  2. 02Block the sender and keep the message as evidence.

Sources

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