← All scams
#15Students and first jobsSocial mediaFull guidePrizes, refunds and offers
Fake giveaway or contest on Instagram
A copy of a brand or influencer account says you won, and asks for a delivery or tax fee to send the prize.
Community reports: 0
How it works
- A copy of a brand or influencer account, with a similar name and photo, tags or messages you saying you won a giveaway.
- To claim the phone, gift card or cash prize, you are asked to fill a form and pay a small delivery, GST or "verification" fee.
- After you pay, more fees are asked or the account vanishes, and the form may also have taken your address, ID or card details.
What it looks like
Example messages. Numbers and links are masked.
Congratulations! You are one of 5 winners of our smartphone giveaway. DM us within 24 hours and pay Rs 499 delivery charge to claim.
You won! Claim your prize here: giveaway-winner-claim[.]in. A small shipping fee applies.
Red flags
- Account name spelled slightly differently
- New account with few posts
- A fee to receive a free prize
- Deadline to claim within hours
- Asks for card or bank details
The one question to ask
Why would a real giveaway ask the winner to pay a fee?
Already paid or shared details?
Call 1930 at once: in the first hour the money can often still be frozen before it moves on. Then call your bank on the number printed on your card, and file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in with screenshots of every message and payment.
1930 · cybercrime.gov.in
Also seen as
- "Lucky winner" messages from fake YouTube or Telegram channels
- Spin-the-wheel prize links on WhatsApp
- Festival giveaways in a brand's name