Protecting Seniors From Lottery, Sweepstakes, and Inheritance Scams: How to Spot, Prevent, and Report Fraud

1. What Is a Lottery, Sweepstakes, or Inheritance Scam?
2. How Do These Scams Work?
3. Common Types of Lottery and Sweepstakes Scams
4. US Heat Map — Lottery/Sweepstakes Scams Targeting Seniors (2025)
5. Seniors Affected by State (2025 FBI Data)
6. Red Flags of a Lottery or Sweepstakes Scam
7. Why Are Seniors Targeted?
8. How To Protect Yourself
9. If You Suspect a Lottery or Sweepstakes Scam

Already been scammed? Read our First 24 Hours Emergency Guide for critical steps to take immediately.

What Is a Lottery, Sweepstakes, or Inheritance Scam?

A lottery, sweepstakes, or inheritance scam is a fraud in which criminals contact seniors claiming they have won a large prize, a lottery jackpot, or received an unexpected inheritance — but must pay fees, taxes, or processing costs upfront before they can collect. The prize does not exist. Every dollar sent is stolen.

According to the 2025 FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Report, American seniors lost over $136 million to lottery, sweepstakes, and inheritance scams — with an average loss of approximately $49,000 per victim. This makes it one of the most financially devastating scam categories specifically targeting older adults.

How Do These Scams Work?

Scammers contact seniors through phone calls, emails, text messages, social media, or physical mail. Their messages often look official, using fake letterheads, legal language, and even references to real organizations. The typical pattern follows these steps:

• The notification: You receive a message claiming you’ve won a major prize, been selected in an international lottery, or are the beneficiary of an inheritance from a distant or unknown relative.
• The hook: The amount is always large — often hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars — to create excitement and override caution.
• The fee: Before you can collect, you’re told you must pay taxes, customs fees, insurance, legal costs, or processing charges. These fees are requested via wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or prepaid debit cards — all methods that are nearly impossible to trace or recover.
• The cycle: After the first payment, additional fees are invented. Victims are told they are “almost there” and just need to pay one more fee. This cycle can repeat for weeks or months, draining savings.
• The secrecy: Victims are urged not to tell family or friends, often under the pretense that publicity could jeopardize the prize.

Common Types of Lottery and Sweepstakes Scams Affecting Seniors:

• Foreign lottery scams: Notifications from supposed lotteries in Jamaica, Canada, the Netherlands, or the UK. Note: it is illegal for U.S. residents to participate in foreign lotteries.
• Sweepstakes impersonation: Fake messages claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, Mega Millions, or similar well-known organizations.
• Inheritance fraud: Letters or emails from supposed attorneys or banks claiming a distant relative has died and left a large estate, requiring fees to release the funds.
• Social media prize scams: Fake giveaway posts or direct messages on Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp claiming you’ve been randomly selected to win.
• Check overpayment scams: A fake check arrives as “partial winnings” with instructions to deposit it and wire back a portion for “taxes.” The check bounces days later, and the wired money is gone.

US Heat Map — Lottery/Sweepstakes Scam Losses by State (2025)

Seniors Affected by State (2025 FBI IC3 Data)

Rank	State / Territory	Lottery/Sweepstakes Loss
1	California	$25,968,437
2	Florida	$10,252,156
3	Texas	$10,236,625
4	New York	$7,302,616
5	Arizona	$6,353,935
6	Virginia	$6,037,557
7	Illinois	$5,806,370
8	Tennessee	$5,658,269
9	North Carolina	$5,055,866
10	Pennsylvania	$4,982,957
11	Michigan	$4,861,714
12	Georgia	$4,604,823
13	Ohio	$4,409,447
14	Washington	$2,731,871
15	New Jersey	$2,710,665
16	Nevada	$2,386,369
17	Montana	$2,011,772
18	Missouri	$1,907,776
19	Maryland	$1,855,066
20	Massachusetts	$1,736,935
21	Indiana	$1,719,118
22	New Mexico	$1,536,056
23	Oklahoma	$1,444,759
24	Oregon	$1,440,614
25	South Carolina	$1,373,931
26	Minnesota	$1,358,502
27	Wisconsin	$1,319,729
28	Colorado	$1,261,926
29	Iowa	$1,195,598
30	Utah	$1,192,360
31	Alabama	$843,800
32	South Dakota	$696,450
33	Idaho	$679,461
34	Wyoming	$664,010
35	Hawaii	$634,594
36	Kentucky	$489,293
37	Connecticut	$479,061
38	Louisiana	$465,688
39	Alaska	$391,849
40	Kansas	$369,301
41	Arkansas	$329,884
42	West Virginia	$327,425
43	Maine	$253,619
44	Nebraska	$179,229
45	North Dakota	$162,550
46	Vermont	$112,300
47	Mississippi	$100,550
48	Delaware	$64,075
49	Rhode Island	$27,228
50	New Hampshire	$21,081
51	District of Columbia	$2,800
52	Puerto Rico	$1,500

Red Flags of a Lottery or Sweepstakes Scam:

• You are told you won a contest you never entered
• You must pay money to receive your “winnings” — legitimate prizes never require upfront payment
• Payment is requested via wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or prepaid cards
• The caller or sender pressures you to act quickly or keep it secret
• The notification comes from a foreign country
• The message contains grammatical errors or uses generic greetings
• You receive a check with instructions to deposit it and send money back

Why Are Seniors Targeted?

• Many seniors grew up in an era when sweepstakes and contests were legitimate and common, making these scams feel familiar and believable
• Older adults may be more isolated and have fewer people to consult before making financial decisions
• Scammers exploit the hope of a financial windfall, particularly among seniors on fixed incomes who worry about outliving their savings
• Repeat victimization is common — scammers share “sucker lists” of seniors who have paid once, targeting them again with new fake prizes

How to Protect Yourself:

• Remember the golden rule: You cannot win a contest you did not enter. Period.
• Never pay money to collect a prize — legitimate lotteries and sweepstakes deduct taxes from winnings, they never ask winners to pay upfront
• Do not wire money, buy gift cards, or send cryptocurrency to claim a prize
• Verify any claim independently — call the organization directly using a number you find yourself, not one provided in the message
• Talk to a trusted family member or friend before responding to any prize notification
• Hang up on unsolicited callers and delete suspicious emails or texts

If You Suspect a Lottery or Sweepstakes Scam:

• Stop all contact with the scammer immediately — do not send any more money
• Report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) and the Federal Trade Commission (ReportFraud.ftc.gov)
• Contact your bank or financial institution if you have sent money
• Alert your local police department
• Tell family and friends — there is no shame in being targeted, and speaking up can protect others

Remember: You cannot win a prize you did not enter. Any notification asking you to pay money to collect winnings is a scam, no matter how official it looks.

5-Year National Trend: Lottery, Sweepstakes & Inheritance Scams Against Seniors (2021—2025)

According to five years of FBI IC3 data, lottery, sweepstakes & inheritance scams targeting Americans aged 60 and older have exploded, growing +163% since 2021. Over this period, seniors reported 13,294 incidents with combined losses of $409 million. The peak year was 2025, with $138,009,567 in reported losses.

Year	Victims (60+)	Total Losses	% of All Elder Fraud	YoY Change
2021	2,518	$52,473,552	3.3%	—
2022	2,289	$68,064,302	2.3%	+30%
2023	1,878	$62,664,980	1.9%	-8%
2024	2,772	$88,123,935	1.9%	+41%
2025	3,837	$138,009,567	1.9%	+57%
5-Year Total	13,294	$409,336,336	2.0%	+163% (2021—2025)

Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Annual Reports, 2021—2025. National totals computed from all 52 state/territory reports. “% of All Elder Fraud” shows this crime type’s share of total elder fraud losses that year.

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