Check a mailed prize notice that asks for a fee
Do not pay a fee to release a prize. The FTC says demands for taxes, shipping, processing or similar payments to get a prize are scams. Keep the notice and record the demand. A real company's name may have been copied, so distinguish the demand from the identity of whoever actually sent it.
Build the evidence sheet first
- Copy the sender name, return address and any phone number or website printed on the notice. Do not use those contacts to verify the claim.
- Write down the prize as described and exactly what the notice asks for, such as a processing fee, a check or personal details. Include any deadline it gives.
- Search for the organization independently and compare what you find with the letter. Failing to find a match is worth noting, but it does not prove fraud.
- Keep the original envelope, letter and inserts. Do not send the requested payment, bank details or identity numbers.
Describe the paper, not the company
Your record should show what the notice says and what it asks you to do. You may not be able to prove who is behind a misleading letter, so do not call a specific company fraudulent. Write what you could and could not confirm.
An advertising opt-out request will not handle a payment demand, and sending one is not the same as filing a fraud report.
Private prize-notice evidence sheet
Example for your own use. Replace the bracketed details and review what you share.
Decide what to do with the paper
Keep the notice until you have decided whether to report it. If you report it to USPIS, keep your sheet and the envelope together. If you already paid or shared account details, contact your bank at the number on your card or statement, then read the guide on preserving a mailer after payment.
Official sources
Keep personal records with the organization that handles them
Junk Mail Magic is for ordinary unwanted advertising. Use the official contact route in this guide for records, account changes or someone else’s correspondence.
Compare removal routes