Scenario: You’re notified that you have been selected to win a valuable prize. All you have to do buy promotional items such as pens or key chains with your company logo.
Scam: The items turn out to be shoddy and overpriced, and if you receive any prize, it isn’t worth what you paid to get it.

	Be wary of any phone-calls, e-mails or letters notifying you that you have won a prize when you don't even remember entering a contest.
	Businesses targeted for fraudulent prize offers are often asked to buy items inscribed with their logos, such as pens, pencils, or key chains, as part of a "promotion."
	These items are invariably shoddy quality and vastly overpriced.
	Another common scam is the "free" trip. It may be an attempt to lure you to a high-pressure sales presentation for a time share, or you might have to pay a "deposit" or other expenses in advance, but you'll probably never get the trip that was promised.
	If you receive any "prize" at all, it will not be what you expected or worth even a fraction of what you paid to get it. The only real winner is the con artist.
	Read the fine print of any contest entry form carefully. Sometimes by filling one out you can unwittingly become a victim of telephone cramming or slamming.
	It's illegal to be required to pay something in order to enter a contest or win a prize, except for raffles and other events organized by legitimate charities.
	Report suspicious prize promotions to the law enforcement agencies and the Better Business Bureau.

If you need advice about a solicitation or you want to report a possible scam, call the NFIC hotline at 1-800-876-7060. You can also ask questions or report fraud using our online forms.

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