Is a prize competition on social media that requires me to share a post and follow an account real?
Many are fake. Engagement-farming competitions collect followers and shares but never award prizes, or they build audiences for later scam promotions.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Engagement-bait prize scams are designed to rapidly grow a social media page by promising valuable prizes in exchange for shares and follows. Once the post goes viral, the page is either sold to scam operators or used to promote fraudulent investment schemes, phishing links, or fake product stores. In other cases the competition is designed purely to harvest personal data through a linked entry form. Genuine brand competitions are run through regulated promotional mechanics, clearly state the prize value, include full terms and conditions with a closing date, and are hosted on the brand's official verified account. Before entering any online competition, confirm the account running it is the brand's genuine verified presence, not a lookalike account.
Common red flags
- Account running the competition is not the brand's official verified page
- No terms and conditions, closing date, or previous winner history
- Entry requires following multiple unrelated accounts
- Linked form requests excessive personal or financial information
- Previous winner posts look staged or are very sparse
What to do now
- Check the competition is on the brand's official verified account
- Read any terms and conditions before sharing personal data
- Avoid forms requesting financial or government ID information
- Report fake competitions to the social media platform
Frequently asked questions
Is there any harm in just sharing a post without filling in a form?
The main harm is amplifying the scammer's reach. Your followers see the post and some may be deceived into entering or following the fraudulent account.