A prize call promised cash or a trip, then asked for a fee

Fraudsters use phone calls to claim a person has won a prize or discounted vacation, then ask for payment or personal details before anything can be claimed.

What happened

Marian was at home when the phone rang with a recorded message saying she had won a prize, or could claim a discounted vacation. The call used the kind of polished wording that can sound official, and it left her unsettled enough to keep listening.

The caller's message pointed to a well-known company name and suggested there was something waiting for her, but only if she acted quickly. That kind of pitch can feel exciting at first, especially when it arrives out of the blue and seems to promise easy money or a cheap trip.

“I was tempted for a second, but the fee request made it feel wrong.”

The scam

The scam uses phone calls to tell people they have won a prize or a vacation, often by borrowing the names of familiar companies. Once the target responds, the caller says there is an advance fee, deposit, or other payment needed before anything can be claimed.

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says victims may be asked to send money through a money service business or to use prepaid gift cards. In the reported cases, no winnings are ever delivered, and people may end up with nothing at all.

What Marian did

Marian did not send any money or share personal details over the phone. She decided to slow down, hang up, and treat the call as a possible scam instead of a real prize notice.

If a call like this comes in, the safest move is to contact the company only through an official route you find yourself, such as the organization's main website, and never through the number or instructions given in the call. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre also says victims should report it.

Red flags

• Unsolicited prize or vacation call
• Pressure to pay before receiving anything
• Names of well-known companies used in the pitch
• Requests for gift cards or money transfer payments
• No way to verify the prize right away

How to protect yourself

• Hang up and verify the claim through the company's official website
• Do not pay any advance fee to claim a prize or vacation
• Do not share personal information with an unexpected caller
• Report the scam to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
• Talk it over with someone you trust before acting

Every story is a composite of commonly reported cases. Names, places, amounts and links are changed.