BREAKING: 87% of people can’t tell a genuine prize draw apart from a scam.
… We have absolutely no idea whether that’s true.
But if you’ve ever received a “Congratulations, you’ve won!” message, you’ll know how convincing they can look as long as they state things with enough confidence.
Winning a prize can be exciting. Whether it’s a holiday, a new gadget, a shopping voucher or a cash prize, it can sometimes be hard to take a step back and consider…
What if the prize isn’t even real?
Unfortunately, if it sounds too good to be true… It often is. Prize draw scams are designed to make people believe they have won something when, in reality, the message is an attempt to obtain their personal information, money, or financial details. Horrible, right?
Most of us dismiss guides like this thinking we’re tech-savvy enough to spot the difference, but with the constant, rapid advancements in AI, scam prize draws are becoming more convincing than ever – and anyone could fall for them!
That’s why we’ve put this article together to answer:
How can you tell whether you’ve really won in a prize draw?
If you’ve hit a wall with a communications provider, CommsADR offers a FREE, independent route to a resolution – approved by Ofcom to settle non-regulated disputes between providers and their customers across the UK, whether you’re an individual consumer or a business with more than 10 employees.
> What to do before you come to us
1. Do you remember entering?
One of the biggest warning signs is being told you’ve won a prize draw that you don’t even remember entering!
Consider: If you never entered a contest and gave your details, how could they have found your email address or phone number?
Legitimate competitions generally require you to enter before you can win. If a message arrives saying you have won a competition you never entered, treat it with extreme caution!
Scammers may use well-known brands, retailers or competitions to make their messages appear genuine. Nowadays, they may even include legitimate logos, branding and convincing-looking websites.
Before taking any action, ask yourself: Did I actually enter this competition?
If the answer is no, don’t assume you have simply forgotten. It could be a scam.
2. Be wary if you’re asked to pay
A genuine prize draw should not normally require you to pay money simply to receive your winnings.
Prize Draw scams often claim that you need to pay:
- An administration or processing fee
- Tax or customs charges
- Delivery costs
- Insurance
- A release fee
The amount requested might initially seem small, particularly compared with the value of the supposed prize. But once someone pays, the scammer may ask for more money, keep your bank details, or invent another reason why the prize cannot yet be released.
If you’re being asked to send money before you can receive a prize, stop and check independently whether the competition is genuine!
3. Don’t hand over sensitive information!
Prize scams can also be used to collect personal and financial information…
Which is why we’d always recommend you avoid entering your details directly into whatever link you’re given in a dodgy email. It could be a phishing scam intended to collect your data!
Scammers may ask you for details such as your:
- Bank account or card details
- Passwords
- Date of birth
- Address
- National Insurance number
- Copies of identification documents
A legitimate promoter may need some information to arrange delivery of a genuine prize, but you should always be careful about what you provide and why it is needed.
In particular, never provide passwords, PINs or one-time security codes in response to an unexpected prize notification.
It’s also good practice to have different passwords for everything you use. If you sign up to a scam prize draw site with a password that you’ve already used across hundreds of other sites… You’ve basically just handed the scammer keys to all of your accounts!
4. Look closely at the message
.. We know, you’ve already heard this advice your whole life. But we’re repeating it because of how important it is!
Scammers are increasingly creating professional-looking messages using AI, so poor spelling and grammar are no longer the only things to look out for.
Check the following details carefully:
- Is the message addressed to your real name?
- Is the email address or website URL genuine?
- Do the images – and design layout – look professional?
- Is the organisation named in the message actually running the competition?
→ Search their real website up yourself online to double-check!
Be particularly cautious about links. A message may appear to come from a familiar company but contain a link to an unrelated or suspicious website.
Rather than clicking the link in the message, find the organisation’s official website independently and check whether the competition or promotion is listed there.
5. Are they pressuring you?
Scammers often like to create a sense of urgency, because… Sadly, it works.
You might be told that you only have a few hours to claim your prize, or that your winnings will be forfeited if you don’t respond immediately.
This pressure is deliberate. It is designed to stop you from taking the time to think, check the details or ask someone for advice. No one wants to miss out on becoming an overnight millionaire, right?
A genuine prize draw should not require you to make such a rushed decision. For example, the UK National Lottery gives you 180 days to claim your prize no matter what you played.
So, if a legitimate organisation is giving you 6 months to claim your prize… It’s a huge red flag if a random prize draw is only giving you 24 hours.
If you feel pressured, step back!
6. Check the terms and conditions
Legitimate prize draws should have clear information about how the competition works.
Look for details such as:
- Who is running the promotion
- How to enter
- When the competition closes
- How winners are selected
- What the prize is
- Any eligibility requirements
- How winners will be contacted
- The promoter’s terms and conditions
If this information is missing, unusually vague or difficult to verify, that should raise questions!
It is also worth checking whether the organisation named in the message actually exists and whether its contact details match those published independently elsewhere.
7. Contact the organisation yourself
If you’re unsure, don’t use the contact details provided in the message.
Instead, find the organisation’s official website or published contact details independently and get in touch.
For example, if an email claims to be from a retailer, visit the retailer’s website by typing the address into your browser. You can then contact the company directly to ask whether the prize draw is genuine.
This simple step can prevent you from communicating with the scammer!
What if you’ve already responded?
If you’ve already clicked a link, provided information or sent money, DON’T PANIC!
Your bank should be there to help you.
If you have shared financial information, contact your bank or card provider as soon as you can, using a trusted number, and explain what has happened. If you have shared passwords, change them immediately… particularly if you use the same password elsewhere.
Keep any copies of messages, emails, receipts and other evidence relating to the prize draw. This information may be useful when reporting the scam, or trying to resolve any resulting dispute.
If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, consider reporting it to the appropriate organisation in your jurisdiction.
What makes a prize draw trustworthy?
No single feature proves that a competition is genuine. However, a legitimate prize draw will generally be transparent about who is running it, how it operates and how winners are selected.
The key is to avoid making decisions based purely on the excitement of receiving a prize notification.
Before clicking, paying, or sharing information, pause and verify.
A few minutes spent checking whether a prize is genuine could save you from losing money or giving scammers access to valuable personal information.
… And if you’re dealing with a dispute involving a business and need help resolving it, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) could provide a practical route to resolving a complaint without going straight to court.
… What’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?
If you’ve lodged a non-regulated complaint with a communications provider regarding a prize draw, you might be able escalate your complaint with CommsADR for FREE in whichever way suits you – through our online portal, by post, or by phone!
Learn more below:
> Start your complaint with CommsADR
> What to do before you come to us
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