Image by Getty Images via Daylife
Does Yahoo! Mail ever offer cash prizes?
No. There is no Yahoo! Lottery, and we would never send you information about a contest you never entered.
That’s the definition of unsolicited: you never asked for it. It showed up out of nowhere. The message probably also displays two other hallmarks of fraud emails: it appears to be official (with company logos, even links), and it demands urgent action “to claim your prize”, or something similar.
If you’ve received a message like “Final Notification: Yahoo! Mail Winner!” or “Your Email Address Has Won $XX million”, it’s a scam.
Don’t reply to the email, don’t click on any links in it, and never divulge any personal information. Instead, click Spam.
Yahoo! Mail will never request personal information in an unsolicited email.
If you get an email that looks like it’s from Yahoo! but tells you you’re the winner of a Yahoo! Lottery or other contest – and it asks you to email personal information to claim a cash prize or reward – click Spam to dispose of it. You can also report this suspicious email by going to our Abuse Form and filing a complaint. Thanks!
“Phishing” is a play on the word “fishing” — because perpetrators are “fishing” for your private information or trying to find ways to trick you into sending them money. Don’t be fooled! These deceptive emails are used to commit identity theft, charge your credit cards, empty your bank accounts, read your email, and lock you out of your online account by changing your password.
Check out Yahoo’s Security Center for more information on email scams and ways to protect yourself.
