Prize and Contest Scams

What prize and contest scams are?

You are told that you “have won first prize” or that you "have won first place in a contest". The scammer will tell you that you’ve won something substantial (such as a large sum of money or a great prize) and that all you have to do is send them money to claim the prize. Or they may not even tell you what the prize is.

Scammers use a range of ways to reach you. For example, a text message tells you that you could win a great prize by participating in a trivia competition by texting. The first message may even contain a very easy question to tempt you.

Some scammers use names that resemble official organizations or send an envelope announcing, "It’s Your Lucky Day, or You Have Won. Or they enclose what looks like a government cheque".

Facts

• If you have to pay to receive your "prize", you haven’t won anything.
• If you have to purchase products, provide a credit card or other account numbers, or send a fee in order to receive your prize, it is not a prize.

Ways these scams try to get your money

• You have to provide your credit card number to cover the shipping and handling fee, lawyer fees etc. or “taxes” to process your winnings. This may be for just a small amount – about $3 or $4. They want you to think, “It isn’t much money, so why not risk it?”
• In a texting competition or a texting trivial scam, the scammers make money by charging extremely high rates for the messages you send and any further messages they send to you.
• You have to call a "900" phone number to find out what you have "won". If you call a 900 number you are paying for the call.
• You have to make "a small purchase" (typically a few hundred dollars’ worth of small items such as pens, key chains, or light bulbs) to get the prize.
• You have to provide your credit card number or chequing account number for "verification" purposes. As soon as someone has your credit card number they can use it; they do not need to have your signature.
• You have to send a certified cheque.
• You are pressured to buy "on the spot" because the prize is available for a "limited time only".

What you can do

• Don’t pay to win or enter. Buying goods or services won’t increase your chances of winning.
• Don’t call a 900 number.
• Never give your credit card number to someone who claims they will “deposit winnings” in your account.
• Be wary about responding to text messages or missed calls that come from numbers you don’t recognise.