The “You won a prize” scam
Didn’t enter a draw = can’t have won
A “Congratulations, you won a car” message from an unknown number is almost certainly a scam.
Didn’t enter a draw = can’t have won
A “Congratulations, you won a car” message from an unknown number is almost certainly a scam.
Asked to pay “tax” or “delivery” first = scam
Real prizes never ask you to transfer money first.
Check with the official number, or ignore it
Contact the company through its official site or app, not the number in the message.
Did it work?
Save it, or post it to your story.
From basic to technician
Technical details (for the curious)
Common variants
Prizes from a bank, mobile operator, marketplace, TV show or a “company anniversary draw”. Often with a photo of a letter with a fake stamp.
Why it still works
Scammers use real brand names and logos and add urgency (“claim by today”). Panic makes people forget to check.
If you already paid
Call your bank immediately, keep the transfer receipt and the chat, and report it to the police.
While you’re here
Worth reading
Quiz time
Still not fixed?
In the next update you can tell us what happened, and our AI helper will suggest another way. Until then, restart the device and go through the steps once more.