Is a scratch card prize that requires me to buy more cards to claim my prize real?
No. Any scratch card 'prize' requiring further purchases before you can claim is a scam. Legitimate prize redemption never requires buying additional products.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Explanation
Promotional scratch card fraud is used as a door-to-door, street, and mail-out technique. You receive or are given a scratch card that appears to show a significant win. When you try to claim, you are told the prize can only be redeemed if you also purchase a number of additional cards, products, or a membership. This is sometimes called a 'lottery scratch card' scam or 'promotional prize' fraud, and the purchased items are invariably overpriced and worthless.
The cards are printed so that a 'win' is the standard outcome — everyone who scratches one wins, because the win is the hook, not the prize. Variants of the same mechanic include holiday-club presentations where the 'prize' requires attending a high-pressure sales session, premium-rate phone lines you must call to 'register' the win, and mail-outs where claiming requires an upfront 'release fee'. In every version the prize is bait for a purchase, a fee, or your personal details.
Genuine promotional scratch cards run by legitimate businesses allow you to claim a real prize without any additional purchase requirement, and terms and conditions — including the actual odds — are clearly disclosed on the card itself. A prize that costs money to receive is not a prize. Walk away, keep the card if you intend to report it, and warn neighbours if the cards are being distributed locally, as these operations typically work an area intensively for a short period.
Common red flags
- Prize can only be claimed if you buy additional products or cards
- Scratch card was distributed by someone approaching you on the street or at your door
- Products you must buy are described vaguely but cost a lot
- Prize claim must be done at a remote location or over the phone immediately
What to do now
- Do not purchase anything to claim a scratch card prize
- Walk away from the interaction
- Report to your national consumer protection or trading standards authority
- Warn others in the area if you received the card at your door
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep the scratch card as evidence?
Yes — keeping the card is useful if you report it to trading standards or consumer protection agencies as it may assist in identifying a pattern of complaints.
Why does everyone who scratches these cards seem to win?
Because the cards are printed that way. A universal 'win' maximises the number of people who engage with the claim process, which is where the actual extraction — purchases, fees, or premium calls — happens.
The card says I must call a number to register my win. Should I?
No. Claim lines in these scams are often premium-rate numbers designed to hold you on the line, or lead to pressure selling. A genuine promotion states clear claim terms on the card without expensive phone steps.