'You Won Our Giveaway' Social DM Scam
A DM says you won a giveaway or contest you may have entered, then asks for a fee, your details, or a code to 'claim' the prize.
Think a message like this reached you? You can check it right now.
What this scam is
You get a direct message — often from a hacked friend or a lookalike brand/influencer account — announcing you won a giveaway. To claim, you are told to pay shipping or a fee, share personal and card details, or provide a verification code. There is no prize; the message harvests money, data, or account access. Real giveaways announce winners publicly and do not charge you or need your codes.
What it usually looks like
- A DM saying you won a contest or giveaway.
- A fee, shipping charge, or 'claim' payment.
- Requests for personal/card details or a code.
- A message from a hacked friend or fake brand account.
Common warning signs
- Winning a giveaway you barely or never entered.
- A fee or code required to claim.
- Claims arriving by DM rather than public announcement.
- Slightly-off account names.
Example wording scammers use
“Congrats! You've been selected as our giveaway winner 🎉 Pay $15 shipping to claim your prize.”
“To release your reward, confirm your card details and the code we texted.”
These are illustrative examples written by ScamSplain, not real messages.
What the scammers want
- A 'shipping' or 'claim' fee.
- Your card details or a verification code.
- To spread via hacked accounts.
What to do
- Verify giveaways on the brand's official, verified account.
- Never pay a fee or share a code to claim a prize.
- Warn a friend if their account sent it (they're hacked).
- Report and delete.
What to do if you already responded
- Dispute any charge and change passwords/codes you shared.
- Secure your own account if you clicked a login link.
- Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.