Lottery / Prize-Win Notification Scam Script
Emails, texts, or letters claim the recipient has won a large lottery or prize draw they never entered, then require upfront fees — taxes, admin, or insurance — to release the winnings that do not exist.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Sanitized example messages
Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].
Congratulations! Your email address was randomly selected in the [company] International Lottery and you have won [amount]. To claim your prize, contact our claims agent at [email] within 7 days.
FINAL NOTICE: You have been awarded [amount] in the [name] Sweepstakes. To release your winnings, a processing fee of [amount] is required. This fee is deducted from your prize upon receipt.
Dear winner, we are pleased to inform you that your mobile number won [amount] in our quarterly draw. Reply with your full name, address, and bank details to begin the transfer.
Your prize of [amount] is ready for dispatch. A notarisation and insurance fee of [amount] must be paid before we can transfer the funds to your account. How would you like to pay?
What the scammer wants
To collect escalating 'release fees' — taxes, notary fees, insurance — that victims pay in hope of a large windfall, where neither the lottery nor the prize exists.
Red flags in the message
- You have won a lottery or prize draw you never entered
- Upfront fee required to release winnings — taxes, processing, or insurance
- Request for your bank account details to transfer the prize
- Urgency — claim within 48 or 72 hours or forfeit the prize
- Correspondence from a free email address rather than an official domain
A safe response
Ignore and delete. Legitimate lotteries deduct any taxes from the prize before payment and never ask winners to pay upfront fees. You cannot win a lottery you never entered.
What not to send
- Any upfront fee payment
- Bank account details
- Copies of your ID or passport
What to do if you already replied
- Stop paying any further fees — each new fee is another layer of the same scam
- Report to the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov), Action Fraud, or your national consumer protection agency
- Warn family members — lottery scam victims are often re-targeted
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot the full message or call details
- Note the sender number, email, or profile
- Save any links (without clicking) and payment details
- Record dates and times