'You Won a Car/Truck' Text Scam
A text says you won a vehicle in a contest and must pay taxes, delivery, or a fee to claim it — a prize that does not exist.
Think a message like this reached you? You can check it right now.
What this scam is
You get a text saying you won a car or truck in a giveaway (sometimes tied to a real brand or radio promotion) and must pay taxes, transport, or a processing fee to receive it, or click a link to 'claim.' The vehicle does not exist; the fee, card details, or login on the link are the target. As with all prize scams, being asked to pay to receive a 'free' vehicle is the tell.
What it usually looks like
- A text announcing a vehicle win.
- A fee for taxes, delivery, or processing.
- A 'claim' link to a non-official site.
- Urgency to respond before the prize is 'reassigned.'
Common warning signs
- Paying to receive a 'free' vehicle.
- A prize text from an unknown number.
- Links to unofficial claim pages.
- A contest you never entered.
Example wording scammers use
“CONGRATS! You won a 2025 pickup in our giveaway. Claim it here and pay the $700 delivery tax: prize-claim-center.net”
“Your vehicle prize is reserved for 24 hours — confirm your details to claim.”
These are illustrative examples written by ScamSplain, not real messages.
What the scammers want
- Fees and card details.
- Your login via the claim link.
- To exploit prize excitement.
What to do
- Do not pay or click; you cannot win a contest you did not enter.
- Verify any real promotion with the actual brand or station.
- Delete and report the text.
- Never pay to claim a prize.
What to do if you already responded
- Dispute any charge and secure any account you logged into.
- Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- Watch for follow-up scam attempts.