| CARVIEW |
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.
The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.
You get a call, letter, email, or text saying that you won! Maybe it’s a vacation or cruise, a lottery or a sweepstakes. The person calling about your prize is so excited. They can’t wait for you to get your winnings.
But here’s what happens next. They say there are fees, taxes, or customs duties to pay. Then they ask for your credit card number or bank account information. Or they ask you to pay with cash, gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
If you pay a scammer or share information, you lose. There is no prize. Instead, you get more requests for money, and more false promises that you won big.
Sign up for Consumer Alerts at ftc.gov/ConsumerAlerts.
If you spot a scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission.
Your complaint can help protect other people. By filing a complaint, you can help the FTC's investigators identify scammers and stop them before they can get someone’s hard-earned money. It really makes a difference.
