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1. Charity sweepstakes: a prize should be free
The FTC’s October 26 reminder applies if someone says you won a sweepstakes linked to a charity you support. Scammers can use a real charity’s name, but a demand for payment or your Social Security number to claim a prize is a giveaway: don’t pay or share the information. Search for the contest or company with words like “scam” or “complaint,” and scroll past paid ads; they can lead to impostors.