How to Find Legitimate Contests and Giveaways (and Avoid Scams)
Finding legitimate contests and giveaways can be a fun way to win everything from gift cards and small prizes to vacations and cash. But if you've spent much time entering giveaways online, you've probably also encountered suspicious offers that seem too good to be true.
The good news is that there are plenty of real contests and sweepstakes out there. You just need to know where to look and how to recognize the warning signs of a scam.
Here are some of the ways I look for legitimate contests and giveaways while avoiding offers that aren't worth the risk.
Start With Brands You Already Know
One of the easiest places to find legitimate giveaways is through companies and brands you already recognize.
Brands may run promotions on their websites, through their email newsletters, or on their official social media accounts. Restaurants, grocery brands, retailers, entertainment companies, and local businesses may all offer sweepstakes from time to time.
If you see a giveaway mentioned somewhere else, try going directly to the company's official website or verified social media account to see whether you can confirm it.
Read the Official Rules
A legitimate contest or sweepstakes should have rules explaining how the promotion works.
Before entering, look for information such as who is sponsoring the giveaway, who is eligible to enter, the beginning and ending dates, how to enter, what the prize is, and how winners will be selected or notified.
You don't necessarily have to read every word of a long set of rules before entering a small giveaway, but you should be able to find them.
If you can't figure out who is actually sponsoring the promotion or there are no rules at all, I'd be cautious.
Look at the Website Before Entering
Don't automatically trust a giveaway just because someone shared the link on social media.
Take a moment to look at the website. Does it belong to the company supposedly sponsoring the giveaway? Does the site provide normal information about the company? Does anything about the page look strange or inconsistent?
Scammers sometimes create pages designed to resemble legitimate companies.
When in doubt, instead of clicking a questionable link, search for the company's official website yourself and see whether the promotion is mentioned there.
Be Suspicious if You're Asked to Pay to Win a Prize
This is one of the biggest warning signs.
If someone tells you that you've won a prize but you must first send money to receive it, stop.
You may see requests for a "processing fee," "delivery fee," "insurance fee," or some other payment before your prize can be released.
Don't confuse that with legitimate tax obligations that can sometimes come with winning valuable prizes. That's different from someone demanding that you immediately send them money in order to claim your winnings.
Don't Send Gift Cards or Cryptocurrency to Claim a Prize
A supposed prize sponsor asking you to buy gift cards and send the numbers is a major red flag.
The same applies to requests for cryptocurrency or unusual payment methods.
Winning a giveaway shouldn't require you to purchase gift cards for the person giving you the prize.
Watch for Fake Winner Messages on Social Media
This is particularly common with Facebook and Instagram giveaways.
A legitimate business may post a giveaway, and scammers may then create an account with a very similar name and contact people who commented on the original post.
They may tell you that you've won and direct you to another website or ask for personal or payment information.
Before responding to a winner notification, look carefully at the account contacting you. Compare it with the account that originally hosted the giveaway.
Don't assume that a message is legitimate just because the profile uses the company's name and logo.
Never Give Out More Personal Information Than Necessary
Entering a giveaway may require basic information such as your name and email address. A sponsor may also need additional information from an actual winner so the prize can be delivered.
But be cautious when an ordinary giveaway entry asks for unusually sensitive information.
Consider why the sponsor would need the information they're requesting. If the request doesn't make sense for the giveaway, don't provide it.
Use a Separate Email Address for Contest Entries
If you enter contests regularly, having a separate email address can make things much easier.
It keeps promotional emails from overwhelming your regular inbox and gives you one place to watch for winner notifications.
Just remember to check that inbox regularly. You don't want to miss a legitimate notification because you forgot about your contest email.
Search for Giveaways From Reputable Sources
Once you find legitimate brands, bloggers, local businesses, or contest sites that regularly share real promotions, bookmark them.
You can also search for specific types of giveaways rather than simply searching for "free stuff."
Try searches for things like:
book giveaways
gift card sweepstakes
recipe contests
photo contests
local contests
holiday sweepstakes
Being more specific can make it easier to find opportunities that actually interest you.
Pay Attention to the Closing Date
There's nothing more frustrating than spending time filling out an entry form only to discover that the giveaway ended three months ago.
Before entering, check the closing date.
This is particularly important when you find contests through search engines, Pinterest, or old social media posts. Older giveaway pages may still appear online long after the promotion has ended.
Don't Assume a Huge Prize Means It's a Scam
Large prizes do exist. Companies really do give away cars, vacations, cash, electronics, and other expensive prizes.
The size of the prize isn't what determines whether a giveaway is legitimate.
Instead, look at who is sponsoring it, where you found it, whether official rules are available, and what you're being asked to do.
A $10,000 sweepstakes from a recognizable company with detailed official rules can be perfectly legitimate. A message from a stranger saying you've won $500 but need to send them $50 first is another matter entirely.
Keep Track of the Contests You Enter
If you enter frequently, consider keeping a simple record of your entries.
You don't need anything complicated. You might note the contest name, sponsor, closing date, prize, and website.
This can be particularly useful if you receive a winner notification later. You'll have a record showing that you actually entered that promotion.
What Should You Do if You Think You've Won?
First, don't panic—and don't let excitement make you rush.
Look back at the original giveaway and verify the sponsor. Check the official rules to see how winners are supposed to be notified.
If you're unsure about a message, contact the sponsoring company through contact information you find independently rather than using a phone number or link supplied in the suspicious message.
A legitimate prize will still be legitimate after you've taken a few minutes to verify it.
Finding Legitimate Giveaways Gets Easier With Practice
You don't need to be afraid of entering online contests. You simply need to be selective.
Stick with recognizable sponsors and trustworthy sources, read the rules, protect your personal information, and be skeptical of anyone who asks you to send money to receive a prize.
There are plenty of legitimate contests and giveaways to enter. Learning to quickly recognize the questionable ones means you can spend more of your time entering the opportunities that are actually worth it.
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