A message arrives: “Congratulations! You won a new phone in our giveaway!” The page looks like that of a well-known shop or a popular blogger: same logo, similar name, lots of “happy winner” comments.
To claim the prize there is one small condition: pay for delivery, a “tax” or “insurance”. You get a payment link that asks for your card details and an SMS code. Sometimes, to “confirm the winner”, they ask for your social-media password or login code — then they hijack your account and message your friends in your name.
You can't win a contest you never entered. And a genuine contest never asks the winner to pay.
How to protect yourself
- If you have to pay to receive a prize, it is not a prize — it is a scam.
- Check the page name, when it was created and the official verification mark; fake pages are usually new.
- Confirm the giveaway on the shop's official website or app.
- Never send anyone your social-media password or a verification code.
- Report the fake page using the platform's own “report” feature.
Came across scammers?
Tell us — let's protect others.