More and more giveaways happen on social media: comment on a post, follow an account, tag a friend, or post a photo with a hashtag. They're quick to enter, but they also attract more scams than any other kind. Here's how to enter them without getting burned.
Common ways to enter
- Comment to enter. Reply to the giveaway post, sometimes with an answer to a question.
- Follow and like. Follow the brand's account and like the post.
- Tag friends. Tag one or more people in a comment. Some rules give a bonus entry for each comment.
- Hashtag entries. Post your own photo or video with a specific hashtag. These often work more like contests, judged on creativity.
From our listings: 57 of the 576 sweepstakes open on SweepQueue on October 31, 2026 (about 1 in 10) included a social media way to enter. 49 of those 57 also had a regular web form, so you usually don't need an account at all.
Read the rules, even here
A real brand giveaway has official rules, usually linked in the post caption or bio. They tell you how winners are picked, when, and how they'll be contacted. If a giveaway has no rules at all, and especially if it's from an account you've never heard of, be careful.
The platforms have their own requirements too. For example, Facebook and Instagram require that promotions say they aren't sponsored or run by the platform. If a giveaway claims to be run by Instagram or Facebook, it's fake.
The fake account problem
Here's the most common scam: you comment on a real brand's giveaway. Within minutes, an account with nearly the same name and the same profile picture messages you, or replies to your comment, saying you won. They ask you to click a link, fill out a form, or pay a small "shipping fee."
How to spot them:
- The name is slightly off. An extra underscore, a period, a letter swapped (brand_official vs. brand.officiall).
- Few posts and followers. The real brand has years of posts and many followers. The fake was made last week.
- They message before the giveaway ends. Real winners are picked after the entry period closes.
- They want money or a login. Real winners don't pay shipping, and no brand needs your password.
When in doubt, go to the brand's real profile yourself and check whether they've announced winners. More warning signs are in fake winner notices.
Posting to enter? Say so
If you post your own content to enter (a photo with a hashtag, for example), the FTC expects that post to make clear it's a sweepstakes or contest entry. Rules often ask you to include something like #sweepstakes or #contest. Follow whatever the rules say.
Keep your account public (if the rules need it)
For comment and hashtag giveaways, the brand has to be able to see your entry. If your account is private, they may not. If you'd rather not make your main account public, check whether there's another way to enter; many brands also offer a web form.
Don't spam
Tagging the same friends over and over, or commenting hundreds of times, can break the platform's rules and the giveaway's. Enter the way the rules allow, as often as they allow, and no more.
Each listing on SweepQueue shows the ways to enter, so you can tell at a glance whether a sweepstakes needs a social account or has a simple web form.