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Online Safety
How to Avoid 'You've Won' Scams
Daniel Okoro · Security Writer, SecureTempMail 5 min read
"Congratulations, you've won!" is one of the oldest hooks online. Here's how to stay clear.
The tells
- You won a contest you never entered.
- You must pay a "fee" or "shipping" to claim a free prize.
- Urgency: claim within hours or lose it.
- Requests for ID, banking, or login details.
Why giveaways flood you with spam
Even legit contests exist to harvest contact data, which is then marketed to or sold. If you must enter, use a disposable address so the inevitable spam lands somewhere disposable.
If you've engaged
Never pay to claim a prize, and don't share codes or credentials — see fake OTP emails.