Did you really win the California lottery? That surprise text could be a scam
If you get a text or surprise phone call from the California lottery, you might think it’s your lucky day.
But it might very well be the opposite, lottery officials warned in a recent news release.
There have been increased reports of lottery scams made by local law enforcement agencies and victims, according to the California State Lottery’s security and law enforcement team.
Officials are warning players about common lottery scams. Here’s what to know:
What do fake lottery emails, calls or texts look like?
Scam artists might pose as lottery officials or claim they have connections to lottery winners so they can steal money or people’s personal information, officials said in the release.
“A common scam starts with an unexpected, official sounding email, phone call or message congratulating the recipient on ‘winning’ a prize from the California Lottery,” officials said. “The message may claim the prize cannot be released until taxes, processing fees or other charges are paid, and often pressures the recipient to act quickly.”
The emails can look pretty convincing with elaborate letterheads, according to California State Lottery spokesperson Daniel Kelly.
Any message demanding payment up front to collect winnings are scams, officials said.
“Anytime you win the lottery, there’s some work involved on your part,” Kelly said. “You have to check your ticket, file a claim, and go through the vetting process. You never win the lottery because someone calls you up and says ‘I’m from Powerball, send us some money to get your prize.”
The California State Lottery doesn’t send unsolicited emails, messages, texts or calls “and never ask winners to pay fees or taxes in advance to claim a prize,” the release said.
If you’ve purchased a ticket and won for real, you can claim your winnings only after submitting an official claim form through the California lottery’s established process, officials said.
Look out for scams involving citizenship status
Another type of scam lottery officials have seen recently tends to target older folks, Kelly said.
The scammer approaches victims in person claiming to have a winning lottery ticket — usually a fake or a stolen ticket — that they’ll say they can’t cash on their own because they aren’t a United States citizen.
They’ll ask the victim to give them “some small amount of money, usually $400 or $500” to cash it for them.
“This ticket is not going to be any good,” Kelly said. “And being a citizen of the United States is not a bar to claiming a lottery prize.”
How can I avoid lottery scams?
Officials shared the following tips to help players avoid scams:
- The California State Lottery never charges taxes or fees to claim a prize and never asks for money up front.
- Lottery officials will never contact a player about winning a prize before they’ve filed an official claim form.
- You can’t win the lottery unless you’ve played a California Lottery game.
- Don’t share credit card information, bank account information, social security numbers or any other sensitive information with anyone who claims to offer lottery prizes.
- Only buy lottery tickets from authorized retailers, not online or through mobile apps. There are more than 23,000 authorized retailers in California.
- You don’t have to give your citizenship status when claiming your prize if you bought your ticket from an authorized retailer.
What should you do if you or someone you know has been scammed?
If you’ve been scammed or feel like a crime is in progress, you should notify local law enforcement authorities.
If you receive any communication or information that you believe may be a scam, you can check whether it’s legitimate by calling the California State Lottery’s customer service line at 1-800-LOTTERY or emailing customerservice@calottery.com.
How do I claim a lottery prize?
If you win a lottery game, you can claim your prize of up to $599 at any participating lottery retailer, according to the California Lottery.
Prizes of $600 or higher can be collected at any California Lottery district office or by mail.
You have 180 days from the date of the winning drawing to claim your prize, lottery officials said.
This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 2:04 PM with the headline "Did you really win the California lottery? That surprise text could be a scam."
