Part of our Scam Spotlight series — plain-language breakdowns of specific phishing and scam patterns we see, building on our Understanding Spam and Phishing Emails (Basics) article.
You're told you've won a lottery, sweepstakes, or prize you never entered, or that you're due to receive a large inheritance from a distant or unknown relative, or that a foreign official/business person needs your help moving a large sum of money in exchange for a share of it. Every version of this scam eventually asks you to pay a fee, tax, or “processing charge” upfront before you can receive the (nonexistent) money.
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS! You Have Won $2,500,000 USD
From: International Lottery Commission <claims@intl-lottery-award.com>We are pleased to inform you that your email address was selected as a winner in our International Online Lottery Program, worth $2,500,000 USD. To process your claim, please pay a processing fee of $250 via wire transfer and provide your full name, address, and banking details.
You never entered this lottery. You can't win something you never entered — a fundamental rule that instantly identifies almost every version of this scam.
A request to pay a fee before receiving money — legitimate prizes never require you to pay anything upfront to collect them.
A request for banking details and personal information up front, before any money has actually changed hands.
An enormous, unrealistic amount of money designed to be exciting enough to override normal skepticism.
A generic or invented-sounding organization name that doesn't correspond to any real, verifiable lottery or agency.
Don't reply, don't pay anything, and don't send any personal or banking information.
Remember the golden rule: if you have to pay to receive a prize, it isn't a real prize.
Mark it as spam/junk and delete it.
If it claims to be from a real, known organization, verify by contacting that organization directly through their official website or phone number — not anything in the email.
If you've already sent money or personal/banking information:
Contact your bank immediately to flag the transaction and discuss whether it can be stopped or reversed.
Stop all further contact — scammers who successfully collect one payment will often invent additional “fees” and keep asking for more.
Report it to your local police department and, in the US, to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
If you shared any passwords, change them immediately — see How Do I Change My Email Password?
Understanding Spam and Phishing Emails (Basics)
Scam Spotlight: Gift Card Request Scams
Scam Spotlight: Romance Scams