Phone calls · Scam library
Sweepstakes, lottery and fake PCH prize scam: how to spot it and what to do
Arrives by: Phone call, Letter, Email, Text message
Is it a scam?
If you have to pay to get a prize, it's a scam. Callers pretending to be Publishers Clearing House say you've won millions but must first pay “taxes,” “shipping and handling,” or “processing fees.” Real prizes are free, and it's illegal for U.S. citizens to play a foreign lottery, so a message saying you won one is almost certainly a scam.
How the scam works.
You get a call, letter, email or text saying you've won a sweepstakes, a lottery, or a Publishers Clearing House prize.
They may say the money is being held at the “Federal Reserve Bank of New York” to sound official.
To collect, you're told to pay “taxes,” “shipping and handling” or “processing fees,” or to give bank or personal details.
Some send a check and ask you to send part of it back. The check later bounces, and you owe the bank.
Red flags to look for.
Illustrative example · Phone call
Incoming call
+1 (212) 555-0150
Written from the patterns official sources describe. Phone numbers and web addresses in it are fake.
You have to pay to get your prize.
You have to pay to improve your odds of winning.
You're asked for bank, card or personal information.
It's about a foreign lottery.
They send a check and ask you to send some of the money back.
They mention the Federal Reserve Bank holding your winnings.
The real thing vs. the scam.
What the real organization does
What the scammer does
Real prizes are free.
“Pay the taxes and fees first, then we'll deliver your winnings.”
U.S. citizens can't legally play foreign lotteries.
“You've won the international lottery.”
If you got this message.
- Don't press 1, call back, or reply.
- Don't pay anything and don't share bank or personal details.
- Talk to someone you trust if you're tempted. It's normal to want to believe it.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If the offer came by mail, also report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at uspis.gov/report.
If you already clicked, paid or shared information.
If you paid or moved money, call your bank or card company right away. Use the number on the back of your card or in the official app, not a number from the scammer.
If you deposited a check they sent, don't spend it or send any of it back. Tell your bank it may be fake. Banks can release the money before they find out a check is bad.
If you paid with gift cards, call the company named on the card right away, tell them it was a scam, and ask for your money back. Keep the cards and receipts.
If you sent a wire, call the company and ask them to reverse it: Western Union 1-800-448-1492, MoneyGram 1-800-926-9400, Ria 1-877-443-1399.
If you mailed cash or a check, report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at uspis.gov/report or 1-877-876-2455.
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you're 60 or older, the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311 can help you report it (weekdays, 10am to 6pm Eastern).
Expect follow-up calls or messages offering to get your money back for a fee. Those are scams too. Real agencies never charge to help you get a refund.
Money already sent? Start with the free C.A.L.M. recovery wizard or get step-by-step help. And watch out for anyone who offers to get it back for a fee.
Not sure about a message?
Check it in a minute.
Answer a few yes-or-no questions and see how risky it looks.
Try the scam checker
How OwlGuardian helps
Make the next scam bounce off.
Prize notices sent to Gmail are scanned by OwlGuardian, and suspicious ones are quarantined before you see them while your Trusted Contact decides. For a call, letter or text, hang up or set it aside, then say “Hey Siri, call my Owl” to photograph or screenshot it and get a verdict in about five seconds.
OwlGuardian quietly checks your parent's Gmail with AI, moves scam emails out of sight, and asks you before anything risky gets through. $4.99/month after a 30-day free trial.
Questions people ask.
Do I have to pay taxes or fees to get a sweepstakes prize?
Is a call saying I won a Publishers Clearing House prize real?
They sent me a check for my winnings. Is it safe to deposit?
How do I report a fake sweepstakes or lottery call or letter?
Sources
- FTC, Fake Prize, Sweepstakes, and Lottery Scams
- FTC, Hang up on PCH impersonators (Dec 22, 2023)
- FTC, Have you lost money to a scam? Watch for scammers who say they can help (Aug 3, 2026)
The example above is illustrative, written from the patterns official sources describe. Phone numbers and web addresses in it are fake.
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