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Don’t Fall For The Green Dot MoneyPak Prepaid Card Scam!

GreenDotMoneyPak

One of the most important things we do on the PCH blog is warn our friends about Publishers Clearing House scams! Unfortunately, PCH scams involving Green Dot MoneyPak prepaid cards are on the rise. Fraudsters have been attempting to use Green Dot MoneyPak prepaid cards to steal hard-earned money from innocent people, like you. Read on and discover how to protect yourself from being a victim of fraud!

In case you’re not familiar with them, Green Dot MoneyPak cards are prepaid cards that can be purchased at convenience stores and used in place of a credit card. Since they’re prepaid, if a scammer gets the code located under the scratch-off strip on the reverse side of the card, they can claim the money from the card very quickly.  And once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.

MoneyPak Back

Scam scenarios involving these cards might unfold in a variety of ways, but the gist is that scammers tell their victims that they have won the PCH sweepstakes, but they need to first pay a special “insurance” or “tax” by purchasing a Green Dot MoneyPak prepaid card for a specific amount of money and providing the number located under the scratch-off strip on the back of the card over the phone. However, these scammers are NOT from PCH and have NO intention of awarding any prizes.

Can YOU Spot A Scam?

Scenario # 1:  You’ve just received an official-looking letter that states that you’ve won $1 Million and a new car from PCH. When you call the number on the letter, you’re asked to purchase two Green Dot MoneyPak Prepaid Cards for $500 each, scratch off the back and provide the number over the phone. The “representative” on the phone explains that it’s just “insurance” for prize delivery.

SCAM!  If this happens to you, DON’T purchase a Green Dot MoneyPak card and DON’T give the scammer any personal information — even if he sounds sincere! Publishers Clearing House SuperPrizes are personally delivered by the Prize Patrol. Plus, you never, ever have to pay any amount of money to win a PCH prize — it’s the law!

Scenario #2:  You receive a friend request on Facebook from someone who claims to be Dave Sayer of the PCH Prize Patrol. Later, you get a private message that states you’ve won $500,000 from PCH. You’re requested to purchase a Green Dot MoneyPak card in the amount of $500 and message him back the number located under the scratch-off strip on the back of the card to cover “taxes” on the prize.

SCAM!   No one affiliated with the PCH Prize Patrol will ever send you a friend request over Facebook.  If this happens to you, don’t accept the request or provide any personal information. You can even follow Danielle Lam’s steps to report a Publishers Clearing House scam on Facebook.

Remember friends, don’t fall for the Green Dot MoneyPak Prepaid Card scam!  As always, if you receive a letter, a telephone call, an email or a social media “friend” request from someone claiming to be from the real PCH and you’re asked to pay a “fee” of any type to claim your prize…STOP!  It’s a SCAM!

All the best,

Elaina R.
PCH Online Creative

Other blogs you may like:
How To Report Publishers Clearing House Scams on Facebook
A Personal Example of a Publishers Clearing House (PCH) Scam

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Comments

  1. I just received call from Donald Myers that I had won the PCH sweepstakes. After a brief conversation he let me speak with a PCH attorney by the name of Nancy Sherman and asked me to go to a convenience store and purchase a green moneypack paper scratch off card. Told them my wife was working and I didn’t drive. Will call back and speak with her after 5pm. So we have had time to google all about their scam of asking $499.99 to register to pick up our winnings. They will get ear full when they call back at 5. And the attorney couldn’t speak very good English and got upset when I said let me see the winnings and the F350 ford truck and I will pay you then. But she persisted that I had to register by purchasing a green money pack card.

    1. Hi Harold! That is not the real PCH calling you; it’s a scammer that’s only pretending to be from PCH. Do not give the scammer any personal info including bank account information, and definitely do not send them any money if they ask. If they call back we don’t recommend that you talk to them, simply hang up. Make sure to report that scam contact to us via the following link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. I encourage you to read these Safety Tips too: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection. Stay safe!

  2. Hi, I got a call from PCH Dave Sayer saying I won $1 million. Is it true? Also, they asked to buy a MoneyPak card for $500 to claim the prize. Please help on this.

    1. Hi Namrata! Please report all contacts from scammers to PCH via this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. PCH does partner with the Federal Trade Commission and we send all scam reports to them so please make sure you let us know anytime a scammer contacts you. Remember, the real PCH never notifies major prize winners via phone, standard mail, email, or social media, and we never ask winners to pay to claim their prize. You can see more Safety Tips here: https://bit.ly/FraudProtection2. Please be careful everyone; don’t become a scammer’s victim.

  3. Dave Sayer is relentless in calling me. He claims I have won 8.2 million dollars and a new SUV thru PCH. I must buy a Green Dot Money Pak $399.00 card and after I show him my card he will deliver the check and SUV as he is in the neighborhood. I told him to bring the check and SUV and I will give him the card. He said it does not work that way.
    His number is $$$-$$$-$$$$.
    He also stated I must not tell anyone of this a there are people out there who are dangerous and will try to steal this money.

    1. Hi Ruth, that’s definitely a scammer that’s calling you. The real PCH doesn’t notify our major prize winners via phone, standard mail, email, or social media, and we never ask for money to claim a prize. Please report any details you have about that scam contact to us at this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. I also encourage you to check out these Safety Tips for some great info on what to watch for: https://bit.ly/FraudProtection2. Stay safe everyone!!

  4. Got the email and they asked for $500 and told them I did not have it. Then they wanted to know how munch I could pay. I emailed them back and said I had told PCH about this and you were looking for them.

    1. Hi Cynthia, we’re so glad that you knew that wasn’t the real PCH. As you know, the Prize Patrol will never ask for money to claim a prize. We also don’t notify winners via social media, standard mail, email, or phone. Please report any details you have about this scammer to PCH here: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Stay safe!

  5. Thank you for the info. Someone from a church texted me and emailed me via Twitter to tell me I was blessed and I win a million dollars plus a Kia Sorrento but I had to buy a green dot money pack card to pay for shipping and handling! The “Chitwood Financial Dept.” was preparing to send me my winnings! They disguise themselves as Christians and quit the Bible!!!

  6. Thank you vary much for this information. I had been contacted by a person saying he was from Publishers Clearing House and I had won some money. Today he called and Said he wanted me to get a Green Dot card for $499. I then looked it up on line and found your article. Thank you so much. You saved me from losing my money.

  7. I was contacted my phone saying I won the PCH $1,500,000. Prize & a Mercedes’ Benz. Of course, I got the phony explanation re the $500 Green Dot Money Card, yada, yada, yada. Would have been great but your gut tells you not!

    1. Hi Gail! We’re so glad that you knew that wasn’t the real PCH. As you know, the Prize Patrol will never ask for money to claim a prize. We also don’t notify winners via social media, standard mail, email, or phone. Please report any details you have about this scammer to PCH here: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. You can also check out this PCH Blog for ways to stop scammers from contacting you on Facebook: http://bit.ly/StopFBScammers. Stay safe and protect yourselves from becoming scam victims!!

  8. Daniel Waldford has said I won 3.5 million dollars n Mercedes from Sacramento Ca n Co name American Sweepstakes n want me get Green Dot Moneypak gift card $500 n want me scratch numbers to get n bring me car n $3.5 million dollars to my front door I give card n numbers 8am to him I have my prizes today July8,2022 at 3pm from Sacramento Ca n now 3:14pm nothing n no word from him BEWARE A BIG SCAM N WINNING PRIZE MONEY TO HIM NOT ME I AM OUT $500.00