Fake Raffle Text Scams on WhatsApp
How fraudulent raffle prize winner notifications sent via WhatsApp use personal messaging context to lower victim scepticism before collecting fees and personal data.
Part of: Fake Raffle Text Scams
Last reviewed: 9 June 2026
Raffle fraud notifications sent through WhatsApp occupy a different space from SMS-based versions: they arrive within a platform already associated with personal and community communication, giving the message an air of directness and individual significance that a text message notification does not quite achieve.
WhatsApp raffle scam messages frequently impersonate well-known brands, retailers, or services that the target has a genuine relationship with. A message appearing to come from a supermarket's loyalty programme, a telecommunications provider, or a delivery service feels plausible because these organisations genuinely do communicate with customers through WhatsApp in many markets.
The link-clicking behaviour required to claim a raffle prize on WhatsApp mirrors the actions users already take for genuine notifications from brands, making it harder to identify the point at which normal digital behaviour crosses into a scam.
How this scam works on WhatsApp
A WhatsApp message arrives from a number or account appearing to represent a well-known brand or retailer, congratulating the recipient on winning a raffle or promotional draw. The message contains a link to claim the prize, along with a short deadline to create urgency.
The link opens a convincing but fake brand website presenting a claim form. The form collects name, address, email, and eventually card details for a delivery or processing fee. In credential-harvesting variants, the site asks the user to log in with their account credentials for the impersonated brand.
No raffle exists and no prize is dispatched. The card and personal details are retained for fraudulent use.
Common red flags
- WhatsApp message from a brand or retailer announcing a raffle win you did not knowingly enter
- Sender number does not match the brand's official WhatsApp Business contact information
- Link in the message leads to a website domain that does not precisely match the brand's official website
- Claim form requests card payment for delivery, insurance, or administration
- Urgency: prize must be claimed within hours or it will be forfeited
- Message asks for account login credentials for the impersonated brand
How to protect yourself
- Do not click links in unsolicited WhatsApp prize notification messages
- Navigate directly to the brand's official app or website to check for any genuine promotional win
- Verify any claimed prize by contacting the brand using details from their official website
- Never enter card details on a website reached through a WhatsApp link
- Report and block the WhatsApp number if it appears fraudulent
How to report it
- Report the WhatsApp number using WhatsApp's in-app report function
- Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov (US) or Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk (UK)
- Report to the brand being impersonated so they can alert their customers
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a WhatsApp prize notification is genuine?
Legitimate brand promotions do not require payment to claim prizes and do not create urgent claim deadlines through WhatsApp messages. Always verify a claimed prize directly through the brand's official app or website, never through the link in the message.