What it looks like
"Congratulations! Your number won Rs 25 lakh in the lucky draw. Contact our manager on WhatsApp and pay the GST charge to release your prize." (Illustrative)
How the lottery or prize scam works
- You get a call, WhatsApp, SMS or email saying you won a big prize, often with a logo, photo or certificate.
- You are asked to contact a 'manager' or 'bank officer'.
- To release the prize, you must pay registration fees, tax, GST, customs or transfer charges.
- After each payment, a new charge appears.
- They may also collect your ID and bank details for later fraud.
Red flags
- You won something you never entered
- Fees, tax or charges must be paid before you receive the prize
- Prize claimed in the name of a TV show, celebrity, company or RBI
- Payment asked to a personal bank account or UPI ID
- Pressure to keep it secret or act fast
- Fake certificates, stamps or 'RBI approval' letters
What to do
- Do not pay anything and stop replying.
- Do not share ID documents, bank details or OTPs.
- If you paid, save payment proof and chats and tell your bank.
- Report at once: call 1930 (National Cyber Fraud Helpline) or file at cybercrime.gov.in. Speed matters, because reports help freeze money in transit. Outside India, use your national fraud line.
- Report the number on Sanchar Saathi's Chakshu facility.
Protect your family
Remind elders that nobody wins a lottery they did not buy, and that the RBI does not hold or release prize money for individuals.
Also known as: KBC lottery scam, you have won a prize, lucky draw scam
Questions people ask
Is the KBC lottery WhatsApp message real?
Messages saying you won a lottery and must pay a fee to claim it are scams. A genuine prize never needs an upfront payment.
Does RBI hold prize money for winners?
No. RBI has said it does not hold accounts for individuals or entities to store funds for disbursal, and has warned against paying to claim lottery or prize money from unknown sources.
Is it legal to pay for a foreign lottery from India?
RBI has stated that remittances for participating in lotteries, or to secure prize money, are prohibited under FEMA.