Is a prize notification sent by official-looking letter in the mail real?
No. Printed prize letters that say you have won a car, cash, or holiday are scams that require a fee to claim the non-existent prize.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Explanation
Mail prize notifications are a long-running advance-fee scam. The letter is printed on professional-looking paper with logos, gold seals, and a cheque for a fictional prize amount. To claim, you must call a premium-rate number, visit a website, or send a small 'administration' or 'tax' fee. Once the fee is paid, the prize never arrives and contact ends. Some letters use real-sounding competition body names. Genuine prize draws notify winners by recorded delivery and never require a fee to claim — expenses for a real prize are covered by the promoter. If you receive one, do not call the number or send any money.
Postal prize fraud targets older people almost exclusively, and responding once has a compounding cost: respondents are added to so-called sucker lists that are sold between fraud operations, after which the volume of prize letters, fake clairvoyant appeals, and catalogue scams multiplies. Some long-term victims send small amounts weekly for years, sustained by personalised letters that mimic friendship. If you help manage an older relative's affairs, a sudden increase in colourful official-looking post, cheque stubs to unfamiliar companies, or secrecy around mail are practical warning signs worth acting on gently — the shame victims feel is often the biggest barrier to stopping the losses.
Common red flags
- Letter says you have won a substantial prize you have no memory of entering
- Fee, tax, or processing charge required to release the prize
- Premium-rate telephone number to claim
- Letter was addressed to your name using data likely sourced from marketing lists
- Urgency — prize must be claimed within a short window
What to do now
- Do not call any premium-rate number or send any money
- Discard the letter or keep it as evidence if reporting
- Report to your national postal fraud or consumer protection authority
- Alert elderly relatives who may be on mailing lists targeted by this scam
Frequently asked questions
The letter has my full name and address — could it be genuine?
Name and address mailing lists are widely sold for marketing purposes. Having your details does not make the prize real.
An elderly relative keeps receiving and answering these letters. What can I do?
Raise it without blame — shame keeps many victims silent. Help them report to the postal fraud authority, ask their bank about payment blocks, and consider mail redirection or opt-out services to cut the volume.