An article warns that entering summer sweepstakes at shopping mall kiosks or retail checkouts can expose personal information to data brokers and, ultimately, scammers. While many such promotions, such as prize draws for free cruises, are legitimate, the official rules or privacy policies often permit sponsors, their affiliates or marketing partners to use and share entrants' details. This matters because information handed over on a simple entry card can end up embedded in wider marketing profiles or passed through the data broker industry, potentially reaching those running deceptive campaigns.

The piece, from Fox News's technology and cybersecurity coverage, notes that consumers rarely think about their entry form again once they leave the shop, yet that may be the last point at which the information stays contained. It forms part of a broader series on data privacy and scams, and ties in with a related free online class hosted by "CyberGuy" Kurt Knutsson on 22 July, aimed at helping people reduce spam calls, texts and emails, and better recognise messages that put personal data at risk.