Lottery/Prize Fraud
Pause, verify the request through an official channel and never act under pressure.
What is this fraud?
A false prize, lottery, grant, gift or inheritance is used to collect fees or personal information.
How does it happen?
The victim receives a congratulatory message and is asked to pay tax, processing, courier, conversion or clearance charges before receiving the supposed award.
Warning signs
Prize for a contest never entered; secrecy; foreign lottery; advance fee; fake certificates; repeated demands under new reasons.
How to stay safe
Never pay to claim an unsolicited prize. Verify the organisation independently and do not share identity or banking information.
If you are a victim
Stop paying, contact the bank, call 1930, report online and retain messages, letters, certificates, phone numbers and beneficiary details.
Evidence to preserve
Keep transaction IDs or UTRs, bank messages, screenshots, chats, emails, phone numbers, profiles, URLs, app details, and the exact date and time. Preserve original files without editing or deleting them.
Official reporting
For financial cyber fraud, call 1930 immediately, notify your bank or payment provider, and file a complaint through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal ↗. General technical advisories are available from CERT-In ↗.