"You've won!" and "you've inherited" scams
If you have to pay a fee or tax to claim a prize, lottery win or inheritance, it is a scam.
If this is happening to you right now
- Stop. Do not pay, click, or share any code or password.
- Hang up or stop replying.
- Tell someone you trust. Scammers want it kept secret.
- Look up the real number yourself before calling anyone back.
How this scam works
- The FBI's IC3 describes criminals who say you have won a lottery or sweepstakes, or are getting an inheritance from a distant or unknown relative, but must pay fees and taxes to claim the money.
- The FTC describes impostors who say you have won a "federally supervised" lottery or sweepstakes but must first pay taxes or a fee, or fake agencies such as a non-existent "National Sweepstakes Bureau".
- The FTC says the real FTC will never ask you for money, threaten to arrest you, or promise you a prize.
Warning signs
- A prize for a contest you did not enter.
- Fees, taxes or "insurance" to be paid first.
- A government-sounding name you cannot find on usa.gov.
What to do
- Do not pay and do not give personal information.
- Check whether an agency is real at usa.gov (FTC suggestion).
- If it says it is the FTC, hang up or delete it.
Where to report it
- FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- FBI IC3: ic3.gov
- Your state attorney general or consumer office: State directory
More: full reporting directory · what to do after you paid · family safety plan
Common questions
I won a lottery I never entered. Is it real?
IC3 lists unexpected lottery and sweepstakes wins that require fees or taxes as a common elder fraud scheme. Paying a fee to claim a prize is a warning sign.
Sources
Last verified: October 17, 2026. We link to the original public pages. Hotline hours and agency advice can change; check the linked page.
- Elder Fraud tri-fold (2025 data) (FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3); 2026)
- How To Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam (FTC; Nov 2023)