Congratulations texts feel good for half a second — then they ask for a shipping fee, taxes, a gift card, or your bank login to “release” the prize. That’s the tell. Real contests don’t collect money through a cold SMS from a number you don’t know.
"CONGRATS! You’ve been selected for a $2,500 shopping spree. Claim within 24 hours: claim-prize-now.co/win — small processing fee required."
Why “you won” works
People like free money. Scammers sell a fantasy, then invent a small fee that becomes a bigger fee. Or they steal the card you “use to pay taxes.”
5 signs it’s fake
- You never entered a contest (or can’t remember one matching this prize)
- Any fee to claim the prize — shipping, taxes, “insurance”
- Gift cards or wire transfers as the only payment method
- Tight deadline — 24 hours or you “lose” it
- Weird link that isn’t a brand you already trust
What to do instead
- Don’t pay. Don’t tap the claim link.
- If a real store or employer runs a promo, open their app or site yourself and look for it there.
- Paste the text into ScamCheck.
- Forward a warning to family — these hit group chats too.
FAQ
- What if it says I won a government grant? Same rule: government money doesn’t start with a random text asking for fees.
- I already paid a “small fee.” Contact your bank/card, stop further payments, and use the clicked-link guide.