Just received a prize notification? Not sure how to respond to it? Here’s a look at 3 unexpected things you can expect from sweepstakes prize notifications.
1. You may have to submit your Social Security number
It’s a good idea to not give people your Social Security number, but sweepstakes companies legitimately need this information from you for tax reporting purposes, before they can release the prize.
You can expect the company to ask you for such details especially if the prize is worth over $600. If you don’t give the sponsor this information, don’t be surprised if they disqualify your entry.
As long as you're sure you’ve entered legitimate sweepstakes, there’s no harm in submitting your Social Security number so the company can go ahead and give you the prize.
2. You may need to notarize your affidavits (even if you won only a small prize)
If you won something small like a $10 gift card or a t-shirt, you may expect the company to just ship the prize to you. But contrary to popular belief, it is likely that you will need to submit a notarized affidavit to receive the prize. Many people believe that notarized affidavits are only required for prizes that are worth over $600 in value - but this isn’t completely true.
While sponsors are mandatorily required to have winners submit notarized affidavits for prizes worth over $600 in value, they can, in fact, request an affidavit for any prize. It may seem like a waste of time to submit a notarized affidavit to claim a small prize, but remember that every sweepstakes win counts. So, go ahead and submit the affidavit and claim your prize!
3. Your win notification could arrive by email
Many sponsors send win notifications by email. So, don’t be turned off because the sponsor has reached out to you online. While some sponsors notify winners via registered mail or the telephone, many companies reach out to winners by sending an email. So, ensure you keep checking your email account for prize notifications.
