Prize Notification Scams on TikTok
Scammers on TikTok use comment bots and fake brand accounts to target users with fabricated prize notifications, directing them to external sites to claim non-existent rewards.
Part of: Prize Notification Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
TikTok's engagement features — likes, comments, follows, and duets — create natural vectors for prize notification scams. Users who actively engage with brand content or participate in hashtag challenges are a self-identified audience of brand enthusiasts who may not question a winning notification that arrives shortly after their engagement.
The platform's younger demographic skews toward users who are active participants in digital culture but may have less experience recognising social engineering tactics than older cohorts. Comment-based prize notifications in particular appear highly visible and public, lending them a sense of transparency that a private DM would not.
How this scam works on TikTok
Bot accounts flood the comment sections of popular brand-adjacent videos with messages like '[username] You have been selected as our winner! Check our bio for your claim link.' The comment appears public and legitimate, especially when accompanied by other bot comments congratulating the 'winner'. The bio link leads to a data-harvesting form or a site requesting a small fee.
Direct messages are also used, impersonating well-known TikTok creators or brand accounts with a congratulatory notification. The DM instructs the user to click a link to verify their shipping address for a prize. The link captures login credentials or payment information.
Live stream giveaway formats are exploited: a creator announces winners during a live and directs them to send a 'delivery confirmation' gift or fee via a linked payment platform.
Common red flags
- Comment in a video thread notifying you of a prize win — brands do not announce individual winners in public comments
- Account sending a winning DM has a different handle, fewer followers, or a different profile picture from the legitimate brand
- Prize claim link in bio leads to an unfamiliar external domain
- Any step in the claim process requires payment, no matter how small
- Response deadline creates urgency — 'must claim within 1 hour'
- Comment-based notification arrives on a video you engaged with but that was not associated with any giveaway
How to protect yourself
- Know that legitimate brand prize draws notify winners through the brand's verified account, not through comment bot messages
- Never follow a bio link from an account claiming you have won without first verifying the account is the brand's official profile
- Refuse any request for payment as part of a prize claim process
- Report comment bots to TikTok using the flag option next to the comment
- Check TikTok's official creator profile list or the brand's own website to verify the account sending a prize notification
How to report it
- Long-press the comment and tap 'Report' to flag bot comments to TikTok's moderation team
- Report the account profile for impersonation using the profile's report function
- Alert the genuine brand whose name is being used so they can post a warning to their own community
Frequently asked questions
How do real brands notify TikTok giveaway winners?
Legitimate brands typically announce winners through their own verified account's video or live stream, then follow up via DM from that same verified account. They never use comment bots, request fees, or send notifications from accounts that differ from their main verified profile.