Your prize needs a payment
Training 1235 minutesprize fee scam
“The $900 phone is yours. Shipping is just $12.” A contest page messages you. You did enter a draw, but this account is unfamiliar.
Training goal: Verify the win before paying for it
▶ Play this trainingSituation
1. The avatar matches the contest, but the handle has an extra symbol. The original rules say the organizer pays shipping.
- Pay $12 because the prize is worth much more
- Contact the organizer through the original page
- Ask for a photo of the phone box
2. The checkout page says $12. The bank’s approval prompt shows $120 and an unfamiliar merchant.
- Reject the mismatched payment
- Approve and claim the difference later
- Send the code to chat to fix the amount
3. Before any payment is resolved, the account asks for $45 of “prize insurance.” The original organizer has disowned that account.
- Pay $45 to secure the expensive phone
- Negotiate half the insurance fee
- Stop contact and further payments
4. The impersonator keeps messaging other entrants. What next if card details may already have been entered?
- Only block the account
- Alert the bank and report the impersonator
- Disable online payments for a week
What you will learn
- Entering a draw does not verify every account
- The bank prompt matters more than a chat promise
- An extra fee does not prove a prize exists
Your real-life step
Find the original rules of a recent draw and check how the organizer announces winners.
Questions and answers
How would a scammer know I entered a draw?
Comments and entry lists may be public. Knowing about your entry does not establish a link to the organizer.
What should I check in a payment prompt?
Check the amount, currency, recipient and action. If something differs, do not approve; contact the bank through your own route.
Will I get money back after a fake prize payment?
That depends on the payment method and circumstances. Contact the bank or payment provider promptly with the receipt and messages.
More trainings in this module
- Let us see your screen
- The first $5 arrived
- Profit you cannot withdraw
- A copied appeal
- Half price, last pair
- Keep $50 for yourself
Numbers are illustrative. A game, not financial advice.