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We hope you will take the time to read these valuable consumer education and protection messages that are intended to help you, the consumer, stay safe and protected from fraudulent scammers. If you’re a legitimate winner, you won’t be subject to fees or charges before you can claim your prize. If you’re asked to pay anything to claim your winnings, you’re dealing with a PCH scam. In some versions of this increasingly popular scam, victims are asked to send their Social Security number (SSN), bank account details, or other personal data — giving scammers everything needed to steal their victims’ identities. Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes are legit, but not every win notification from them is. Many scammers misuse the PCH name, pretending to come from the company when they really come from someone hoping to steal your money or your identity.
How To Identify (and Avoid) Publishers Clearing House Scams
But in order to do so, you’ll need to “verify” your identity by sharing a bank account number or other sensitive personal information. This allows scammers to take control of the account and steal your identity. On top of the fact that all prizes are awarded in person, Publishers Clearing House does not ask that any taxes or other kinds of fees be paid up front for wiring the money or for any other reason. They also will never ask prize winners to help load their winnings onto any kind of a card.
SweepsSmarts® No Purchase Reminders
The mission of the Alliance has been to empower consumers to recognize and avoid consumer scams through public education and media programs. Members represent over 20 financial institutions, associations, consumer advocacy groups and businesses. At PCH we include a Sweepstakes Facts insert in every promotional offer we send. Be sure to read the Sweepstakes Facts, as well as our Official Rules.
Fake checks for sweepstakes winnings sent to you in the mail
This scam starts with a phone call informing you that you’ve won a cash prize, a new car, or a vacation. In order to claim the prize, you need to send money to the organization to pay for processing fees or other charges. But the whole thing is a setup to get you to either send them money (or gift cards) or disclose enough sensitive information to enable them to steal your identity and empty your bank account.
Tip 2: Beware of Fake Check Scams
Everything from online PCH Sweepstakes entry processing and how to use your PCH tokens, to when you can expect your order delivered, how to become a PCHSuperFan, and how to manage your account. And if you don’t see a listing for your particular concern, you can always use the Search Feature at the top of the page to type in your question for the results you need. For more tips on how to avoid Publishers Clearing House scams, visit the Contest Integrity section of the PCH website, PCH.com. You don't have to give Publishers Clearing House your address, PCH account number, bank account number, driver's license number, or any other confidential information when you enter. So if you receive notification of a big prize by any method other than an in-person award, you know you're being scammed. If anyone tells you you've won a million bucks from PCH other than the Prize Patrol, you know you can ignore the message.
Scammers are pretending to be with Publishers Clearing House and they tell people they’ve won money. If you receive any communication claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, do your due diligence. Contact the company directly and make sure you’re not getting scammed.
Tips and Warning Signs
If you use it, however, you transmit your information directly to scammers instead. But before you pick up the phone and dial us up, or contact us by mail, you should know that there is a huge amount of information about PCH available to you online. Your answer may be just a click away at our PCH Customer Service site. Here are answers to some of our most Frequently Asked Questions. Remember that making a purchase is NEVER required to enter a PCH giveaway and that purchases will in no way affect your chances of winning, so there's no reason to buy anything you don't want. Thank you, we want you to know that PCH partners with the Federal Trade Commission and the information we gather from you today will be shared with them which is then shared with law enforcement authorities around the country.
Did you get a text about winning a big Publishers Clearing House prize? It's a scam - Stockton Record
Did you get a text about winning a big Publishers Clearing House prize? It's a scam.
Posted: Wed, 22 Jan 2020 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Were You the Victim of a PCH Sweepstakes Scam?
DCSO Warns Of Publishers Clearing House Scam - Daily Dodge
DCSO Warns Of Publishers Clearing House Scam.
Posted: Fri, 07 Jan 2022 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Recently we've been hearing reports that scammers are accessing and using the names of our real PCH employees in their criminal attempts to deceive you. Names you've come to know and recognize such as Dave Sayer, Howie Guja and Danielle Lam — all real members of our famous PCH Prize Patrol. The letter also includes a check for $9,800 and instructions to call a claims manager at the provided phone number before depositing the check. They may even send you a check for partial payment and they may ask you to send part of it back. The BBB says Publishers Clearing House will never ask you to pay them money. FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - Imagine thinking you’ve won thousands, or even millions of dollars and you find out it’s fake.
They are there to provide you with all the information you need to play safely! Don’t fall for ‘lookalike’ mailings that try to mislead consumers by imitating legitimate sweepstakes. If you prefer not to telephone PCH, you can send questions about potential scams by email to If you receive a scam email, you can forward it to PCH using this contact method, which helps them take action against the scammer.
First, nobody from Publishers Clearing House will ever send friend requests to you on Facebook. Second, the PCH Prize Patrol members (Danielle Lam, Dave Sayer, and Howie Guja) and PCH employees do not send private messages on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Third, Publishers Clearing House does not notify our winners through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media website. Finally, if you ever receive a message or contact asking you to send any money to claim a prize IT IS A SCAM. At Publishers Clearing House the winning is always free and you never have to pay any amount to enter or win.
That letter even included his name, as schemers often use the names of real PCH employees to make their messages sound more legitimate. Her brother was about to send more gift cards before she caught on to what was going on and quickly stopped him before he lost hundreds, even thousands of dollars more. The hype and the hope of hitting the jackpot, winning all that life-changing cash from Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes, can lead to PCH imposters stealing victims’ life savings.
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