"You've been selected!"—for a sweepstakes scam

A letter and a follow-up call said I had been selected for a sweepstakes I did not remember entering. The prose sounded official, and the prize amount made my stomach flip with hope.

They needed a processing fee, then a tax prepayment, then bank details to "release" the winnings. Each step was framed as the last obstacle before a courier would arrive.

Sweepstakes fraud sells selection language to extract cash and data. There was no prize fund—only rotating invoices until I stopped paying.

I felt special and lucky, and I did not want to forfeit a windfall over paperwork I told myself was normal.

When the fifth "final fee" arrived the same week the first cheque was supposedly shipping, I called the real sweepstakes sponsor from their official site—they had never heard of me.

Savings thinned and trust in good news shrank; reporting at least stopped me from funding the next round.

Legitimate sweepstakes do not require upfront payment to claim. I wish I had hung up on the first fee request.

• Report sweepstakes fraud to the FTC.

For more help, see our Report a scam page and Spot and avoid scams guide.