Fake Charity Raffle and Prize Draw Scam on Facebook
Facebook posts and groups promote raffle tickets for supposedly charitable causes, collecting payments for a draw that never happens and a charity that never receives anything.
Part of: Fake Charity Raffle and Prize Draw Scam
Last reviewed: 13 July 2026
Facebook's ease of creating event pages, groups, and boosted posts makes it a common venue for fake charity raffles. A post describes an appealing prize — cash, a vehicle, or electronics — with proceeds supposedly benefiting a named cause, and directs interested buyers to pay for tickets via a link or direct message.
How this scam works on Facebook
The organizer sets up a Facebook page or event using imagery associated with a real or plausible-sounding charity, then sells 'tickets' through a linked payment page or by asking buyers to send money directly to a personal account. A draw date is announced but often quietly postponed or never mentioned again once ticket sales taper off.
Comments asking about the draw results are frequently ignored or deleted, and the page may be deactivated shortly after the announced draw date passes with no winner named. Because most buyers paid small individual amounts, the aggregate loss across many buyers can be substantial while no single victim feels compelled to pursue formal recovery.
Common red flags
- A Facebook raffle asks you to pay by direct message or personal payment link rather than a verified charity checkout
- The page or group promoting the raffle is new or has little history beyond the raffle posts
- No registered charity name, number, or verifiable contact details are provided
- The announced draw date passes with no winner announced or verifiable evidence of a live drawing
- Comments questioning the raffle's legitimacy are deleted or hidden
- Ticket sellers pressure buyers to purchase multiple tickets quickly before a deadline
How to protect yourself
- Verify the charity's registration number independently before buying any raffle ticket
- Buy tickets only through the charity's own verified website or an established raffle platform
- Be wary of raffles run entirely through Facebook direct messages or personal payment links
- Search the raffle organizer's name and page plus 'scam' before paying
- Ask for evidence of past draws or licensing where required by local gambling regulations
- Report suspicious raffle pages to Facebook rather than continuing to engage
How to report it
- Report the page, group, or post to Facebook using the platform's scam-reporting tools
- Report to your national charity regulator or gambling/lottery authority, which often oversees prize draws
- File a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or your local consumer protection agency
Frequently asked questions
How can I confirm a Facebook charity raffle is genuine before buying a ticket?
Search for the charity's official registration number through your country's charity regulator and check whether the raffle is mentioned on the charity's own verified website or social channels, not just the page selling tickets. A legitimate raffle will also usually be licensed if required by local gambling law.
Can I get a refund if I bought tickets in a fake Facebook raffle?
Contact whichever payment method you used to ask about a dispute or chargeback; a refund may depend on the payment method and timing — contact them directly, since payments sent by direct message or personal transfer are harder to recover than card payments through a verified checkout.
What if the draw date passed and no winner was announced?
That is a strong sign the raffle was never genuine. Stop any further payments to the organizer, report the page to Facebook, and consider reporting to your local gambling or charity regulator, especially if you have evidence of payment.
Is it illegal to run an unlicensed raffle on Facebook?
Many jurisdictions require a license or registration to run a public prize draw, particularly one raising funds for charity, so an unlicensed raffle may itself violate local law even before considering fraud. Reporting to your gambling or charity regulator can trigger an investigation.
How do scammers make fake charity raffles look convincing?
They often use real charity logos or names without permission, borrow images of genuine prizes from other listings, and create urgency with a countdown to a draw date that never materializes. The visual polish of a page is not evidence that the raffle itself is genuine.