Scam warning
You Won a Prize Scam
A call, letter or email says you've won a lottery, a sweepstakes, or a new car, sometimes using the name Publishers Clearing House. To get the prize, you must first pay taxes, fees or shipping. There is no prize.
Also called: Lottery scam, Sweepstakes scam, Publishers Clearing House scam, Jamaican lottery scam
The one thing to remember
If you have to pay to get a prize, it's not a prize. You can't win a contest you never entered.
How it happens
- You're told you won millions of dollars, a car, or a big prize.
- Often the call comes from Jamaica (area code 876) or another country.
- They ask for a fee, taxes, or insurance before they can deliver the prize.
- They keep asking for more, and may call for years.
Warning signs
- Winning a contest you never entered.
- Having to pay before you can collect.
- Calls from area code 876, or other numbers outside the U.S.
- Being asked to keep your win a secret.
What to do
- Hang up and don't pay anything.
- Real sweepstakes, like Publishers Clearing House, never ask winners to pay.
- Block the number. Expect them to call back from new numbers.
Last checked: October 31, 2026