Sweepstakes and giveaways can be a fun way to win prizes — but unfortunately, not every contest on the internet is the real deal. Scammers know that the promise of a big win is a powerful lure, and they use it to trick unsuspecting users into giving away personal information or money.
At prizenab, we want you to enter more sweepstakes — not get burned by fake ones. Here are five red flags to watch out for so you can protect yourself and focus on the giveaways that matter.
⚠️ 1. They Ask You to Pay to Claim a Prize
If you've "won" but are being asked to pay shipping, taxes, or handling fees — 🚨 it's a scam. Legitimate sweepstakes never charge winners money to claim a prize. If you're prompted to enter payment info, close the tab.
"The moment someone asks you to pay something to get your prize, walk away. In legitimate sweepstakes, the sponsor covers all costs associated with delivering your prize." — Federal Trade Commission
⚠️ 2. The Email or Message Is Full of Spelling Errors
Professional companies run real giveaways — and they usually have decent grammar. If you get a "You hav wined!!" email with broken English or strange formatting, it's a solid indicator something's off.
💡 Verification Tip
Professional brands invest in their reputation. Look for poorly photoshopped logos, misaligned graphics, or off-brand colors as additional warning signs of a fake contest.
⚠️ 3. There's No Official Website or Rules Page
Every legit sweepstakes should have an official rules link and a visible sponsor or organizer. If it's just a social media post with no traceable source, be cautious. Real giveaways are transparent about who's running the show.
By law, legitimate sweepstakes must publish their complete rules, including start and end dates, prize descriptions, odds of winning, and how winners will be selected and notified. No rules? Big red flag.
⚠️ 4. It Comes Out of Nowhere
If you're told you've won something you never entered — run. Real sweepstakes don't magically assign prizes to random email addresses. If it's a surprise win, it's almost always a scam.
Legitimate sweepstakes require an entry action, whether it's filling out a form, commenting on a post, or making a purchase. You can't win a contest you didn't enter.
⚠️ 5. It's Rushing You to Act Fast
"You must claim your prize in the next 30 minutes!" Sound familiar? Scammers use urgency to get you to click before you think. Real giveaways give winners reasonable time to respond, and they don't try to panic you into clicking.
Most legitimate sweepstakes give winners at least 24-48 hours to respond, often longer for major prizes. Extreme urgency is a manipulation tactic to bypass your critical thinking.
How to Stay Safe While Entering Giveaways
Here are a few bonus tips to help you avoid sweepstakes scams:
- Stick to well-known or curated sweepstakes directories (like prizenab 😉)
- Never enter payment info for a "free" prize
- Use a dedicated sweepstakes email to keep your primary inbox safe
- Look for verified social profiles or company websites
- Research the company offering the prize — are they legitimate?
- Check if the prize value makes sense for the brand's size and reach
Trust Your Gut
When in doubt, sit it out. If something seems too good to be true — it probably is. prizenab was built to help sweepers discover real, legit giveaways and skip the sketchy stuff. Use our autofill tool to enter faster, and stick to sweepstakes you can actually trust.
Stay safe. Stay lucky. And win more — the right way.