Video-call sweepstakes or lottery 'win'
Scammers have been using WhatsApp, FaceTime, and other video apps to tell people they won a sweepstakes or lottery. In reports to West Virginia's attorney general, the caller's screen was often black, so they could see you but you could not see them.
How it works
A video call arrives from an email address or an unfamiliar number, sometimes through WhatsApp or FaceTime. The person says you won a contest or lottery, including contests you never entered. In August 2026 complaints to West Virginia's Consumer Protection Division, many people did not answer. Those who did said the scammer's video was black. The usual next step in prize scams, described in other 2026 state alerts, is to ask for a fee, tax, or gift-card payment before the 'winnings' can be released. Real contests do not require that kind of payment.
Red flags
- You are told you won a prize or lottery you did not enter.
- The video call comes from an unknown number or email, and the other screen may be black.
- You must pay a fee, tax, or gift card to receive the prize.
- The caller tells you to keep the win confidential.
What to do
- Do not answer, or hang up. Do not pay anything to claim a prize.
- Do not share personal or financial information on the call.
- Report the contact at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general. West Virginians can call 1-800-368-8808.
- If you already paid, contact your bank or the gift-card issuer and also consider a report at ic3.gov.
Where to report it
- reportfraud.ftc.gov — the FTC's report form.
- ic3.gov — the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.