Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
How do impostor phone or email scams claim Mega Millions winnings?
Executive summary
Impostor Mega Millions scams typically contact targets by phone, text, or email claiming they’ve won a large prize and then demand fees, “insurance,” taxes, or other payments to release winnings; victims have lost life‑changing sums — one reported Knoxville case lost about $190,000 after repeated requests for fees [1] [2]. Official warnings from Mega Millions, the FBI and consumer outlets all say a real Mega Millions prize requires first buying a ticket in the U.S. and that there is never a genuine upfront fee to claim a lawful prize [1] [3] [4].
1. How the message arrives: multiple channels and impersonation
Scammers use phone calls, texts, social‑media messages and emails to tell people they’ve won — often using generic subject lines like “Congratulations!” or spoofed caller‑ID and area codes that look domestic but route calls through international numbers [5] [6] [7]. Some campaigns even paste FBI or FDIC letterhead or photos of supposed agents into correspondence to look official, a tactic the FBI has flagged in earlier Mega Millions advance‑fee scams [3].
2. The hook: bogus winnings and pressure tactics
Typical scams promise large cash prizes or bundles (cash plus cars) and then press victims to act quickly or keep the “win” confidential, a standard pressure technique meant to stop people from checking with others or official sources [6] [7]. News reporting and lottery advisories describe scammers promising six‑ or seven‑figure payouts and invoking urgency [1] [8].
3. The money ask: advance fees, “insurance,” taxes, wire transfers, and gift cards
Once contact is made, scammers demand payment — variously called “insurance deposits,” processing fees, taxes, courier costs, or clearance fees — and insist the target send money by wire transfer, prepaid cards, money orders, or other hard‑to‑trace channels [9] [10] [11]. The FBI explicitly warns these are advance‑fee scams where the fee request is the fraud’s core [3].
4. Identity theft and data harvesting as alternate goals
Beyond getting money, these impostors often try to collect personal and financial information — bank details, Social Security numbers, or copies of ID — under the guise of “claim paperwork,” which can feed identity theft even if the victim refuses to send cash. Consumer and lottery warnings emphasize never supplying sensitive data to unsolicited contacts [5] [6].
5. Real‑world consequences: long scams, big losses
Investigative reporting documents how scams can span years and extract substantial sums: an elderly Knoxville woman communicated with an impostor for years and ultimately sent close to $190,000 after being told she’d won an international Mega Millions jackpot [2]. Industry summaries and watchdogs flag millions lost nationally to lottery‑style frauds over multi‑year periods [5].
6. How scammers try to appear legitimate: fake documents, logos, and foreign scripts
Scam mailers and emails often mimic official letterheads, seals, or receipts and sometimes invent “international” lottery offices to justify cross‑border payment requests; identity‑protection sites and Mega Millions’ own scam pages note fraudulent mail addressed to “email holder” or “winner” rather than a named person as a red flag [12] [6] [7].
7. Official guidance and practical red flags
Mega Millions and consumer authorities repeatedly state: you can only win by purchasing a ticket from a participating U.S. retailer; there is never a fee to claim a legitimate prize; and unsolicited claims that require payment or secrecy are scams [1] [4] [6]. Red flags include requests for payment to release winnings, insistence on secrecy, generic salutations, and offshore phone numbers or payment methods [7] [6].
8. What to do if contacted or victimized
Report suspicious messages to local law enforcement and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) as urged by the FBI; block and stop responding to the sender; contact the official Mega Millions site or your state lottery if you’re unsure; and contact consumer fraud hotlines such as the National Fraud Center [3] [2] [4]. If money or identity details were provided, consider contacting your bank, credit bureaus, and relevant fraud units as outlined by consumer protection resources [2] [5].
Limitations and competing sources: reporting and warnings in these sources agree on the basic mechanics and red flags of Mega Millions impostor scams, while consumer Q&A forums add anecdotal examples of odd payment requests (post office money orders, small “processing” fees) used as proof tactics [10] [11]. Available sources do not mention any technical forensic traces that would identify the specific criminal groups behind campaigns beyond the general use of international routing and spoofed letterhead (not found in current reporting).