Florida Lottery Scam Alert: Don’t Fall for ‘You’ve Won’ Phone Calls

If you get a phone call claiming you’ve won the Florida Lottery, just hang up.
That’s what the Florida Lottery is urging people to do, as scam reports surge across the state.

How the Scam Works

According to a recent alert, scammers are impersonating lottery officials, telling unsuspecting individuals they’ve won big prizes.

It all begins with a phone call, and a friendly voice telling you that you’ve won a large cash prize. But here’s the catch: you need to pay taxes, processing fees or insurance before the lottery can release the winnings. The scam caller may also ask victims for their Social Security Number, banking information and other sensitive personal information.

“These scams are not only deceitful - they’re dangerous,” said Florida Lottery Secretary John F. Davis. “We want to remind our players that the Florida Lottery does not charge fees to claim prizes, and you should never provide your Social Security number, bank details, or make any form of payment in response to a call or message claiming you’ve won.”

It’s important to remember that:

• The Florida Lottery does not contact winners by phone, text, or social media.
• They will never ask you for money to claim a prize.
• You must have a valid winning ticket to collect your prize, either by mail or in person at an official Lottery office.

What to Do If You’re Targeted

If you receive a phone call telling you that you’ve won the lottery:

• Hang up immediately. Don't try to outsmart the caller or otherwise engage. Just end the call.
• Don’t share personal or financial information. Even seemingly harmless details can be misused.
• Report the scam. Call the Florida Lottery’s Division of Security at (850) 487-7730
  Or contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 1-800-HELP-FLA
• Be skeptical of urgency or pressure.
  Scammers often pressure you to act without thinking.

Tools to Stay Ahead of Scammers

Want to double-check when something smells fishy? Try these free tools from Bitdefender:

• Bitdefender Scamio. Our free AI-powered chatbot that helps you instantly verify suspicious messages, texts, emails, or even social media DMs.
• Bitdefender Link Checker. Paste in any URL before clicking to check for signs of fraud and malware. Perfect for spotting fake lottery sites or phishing links.

Winning the lottery is rare. Getting targeted by a scammer saying you’ve won the lottery is sadly much more common.

Remember: No ticket = No winnings.

Stay alert, protect your information, and always verify before you trust.