I won a prize I never entered. Is it real?
Learn what to do with a surprise prize message.
A prize you do not remember entering is a warning to check. Do not assume the message is true or false from that fact alone.
A demand for money to release a prize is a scam warning. Do not send payment or gift card codes.
Find the organizer yourself and ask about the message through a known contact route.
Try this
- Leave the message links unopened.
- Do not pay a fee to claim the prize.
- Look up the organizer through a separate source.
- Ask whether the offer and sender are real.
- Report a false message using your mail app controls.
A message you can copy
Explain why I should verify an unexpected prize before acting on it.
Paste the message into ChatGPT, then fill in any blanks before you send it. ChatGPT opens in a new tab. Opening it does not send the message.
Buddy says
A familiar company name can be copied by a scammer.