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How To Spot Publishers Clearing House (PCH) Scams!

Hi blog readers! Have you ever received a message from someone who claims to work for PCH? Maybe the message notified you that you won a big prize. Maybe it told you that you needed to pay money to claim that prize. Unfortunately, these messages are Publishers Clearing House scams! They are not from the real Publishers Clearing House. We’ve done a lot here on the blog to try to alert you to these PCH scams, but we thought it might be helpful to provide you with some excerpts from actual scams that were sent by fraudsters illegally using the PCH name, in order to dupe you.

Before we get started, here are few important things to remember: You NEVER have to pay to claim a PCH prize. Winners of our larger prize award amounts are surprised in person by the Prize Patrol, NOT sent messages on Facebook or emails like this. Publishers Clearing House scams often have MANY spelling and grammatical errors. Try to read them out loud … you’ll see how nonsensical they sound. An official PCH message would not be written like that!

Let’s get started!

This message is not from PCH, it is a PCH SCAM! How can you tell?

For starters, none of the above or these contest details are legitimate. If you were to ask a PCH employee about a “Super Bucks Giveaway,” we would be quick to tell you it does not exist. Also, we are in no way associated with the U.S. Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission. AND if you were to use PCHSearch&Win to research that supposed government authority, you would find that it does not even exist in the U.S.

This message is not from PCH, it is a PCH SCAM! How can you tell?

Again, the grammar is off in many places. Just a few examples: “you are been advised,” and “your fund remitted to your account”. Plus, take a look at how the prize amount is written: “$1.200,000.00”. There’s a decimal instead of a comma after the “1”.


This message is not from PCH, it is a PCH SCAM! How can you tell?

They repeated the “this is part of our security protocol” sentence TWICE within the same paragraph! Also, PCH never asks you to keep quiet about your winnings. Quite the opposite! We’re always proudly posting pictures and videos of our winners! But the scammers want you to stay quiet so they can get your money without the authorities finding out.

This message is not from PCH, it is a PCH SCAM! How can you tell?

It’s easy! This message contains the BIGGEST red flag — it asks you to pay money to claim your prize. Remember: you NEVER have to pay or make any purchase to claim a prize from Publishers Clearing House. Also, if you ever hear/see the words “GREEN DOT MONEY PAK CARD” in a message from someone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, head for the hills! The scammers will take the account numbers from this card, cash the money you spent on it, and never award you the prize, because there never was a real prize — they are scammers.

There you have it folks. These are just a few ways you can spot PCH scams! As always, you should always verify the information in any winner notification you may receive before making any risky moves. And if you ever have any questions, let us know!

Stay safe everyone!

Laura Wolfe @ PCH

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Comments

    1. Hi David! That is definitely a scammer who contacted you. PCH will never send friend requests, private messages, or winner notifications via social media including Facebook, and we also never ask for money to claim a prize. Do not give this person any personal information and certainly do not send them any money!! Instead, report them to PCH by completing a Scam Incident Report. Here’s how: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Check out this FAQ for info on how to stop scammers from contacting you on Facebook: http://bit.ly/StopFBScammers. Stay Safe!

  1. We received a letter from Publishers Clearing House today, it states we are a second place winner for 2.5 million. It provides two telephone numbers and a security code. In addition, a check written on PNC Bank, Jeannette PA is included for $7800.10. I verified the bank, it is legitimate and the the account number is listed on the check…..
    Is it scam on an elderly person?

    1. Hi Robert! I’m sorry to tell you that is definitely a scam. It’s important to remember that PCH does not contact winners of a major prize via phone, text, email, mail, or on Social Media. Also, if anyone asks you for money for any reason to claim a prize, you can be sure they’re a scammer. Please don’t give them any money, or any personal information! Scammers are very sneaky and will use our good name and reputation to try to deceive people. Stopping them is a team effort so please report any and all scam contacts you receive to PCH at this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. We provide numerous videos, blogs, and tips to recognize these scammers here: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection-2/. Stay safe!

  2. My mother got a call from you guys saying that she wanted money, saying that they didn’t ask for money, it just said that they will call her the next day which is tomorrow. Her name is Debbie is there any way you can tell me if she wanted or not.

  3. I just had a phone call saying that they were publishers clearing house. They wanted banking information so they could deposit money that I won.

  4. I received a phone call several days ago telling me I had won the “Publishers Clearance House” grand prize. I realized it was a scam after I verified my cell phone number with the caller and hung up. That was a big mistake.

    After that I received more than 25 cell phone calls from various places, including Europe and Northern Virginia. I did not pick up any other of the calls.

    I went online and found the complaint number to notify Publishers Clearing House, the actual one, about the scam, and spoke with a man who said his name was Lawrence. He asked me what had taken place, got my cellphone number, my address and ask if I could provide him with some of the area codes I had seen on my cell phone screen. I did that and he also told me if I heard from them again to not pick up the phone. I did not. But the phone kept ringing for hours. Clearly the scammer was not satisfied that I was not believing him. I also received one call and message from someone claiming to be from PCH and asking why I wasn’t answering my phone.

    I had asked earlier what his name was and was given the name James Freeman. I told that name to PCH’s Lawrence. The name of the man who left the message on my landline phone was James Freeman.

    Today, via Priority Mail to my house, I got a personal, hand-written letter from James Freeman who stated that the enclosed personal check written to me, Julie Ann Davey (my full name) for $50,000 was part of my winnings but I should not attempt to cash it, until and unless I contacted him. I have the check and would be more than relieved to send it to PCH or take it to my local police or my personal bank to check.

    I am 80+ years old and feel this is elder abuse. I did not and will not notify him, despite the personal address from Waynesboro, VA.

    I need to speak with someone, perhaps Laura Wolfe, to tell me how to proceed. I feel I am dealing with criminals who are trying to break into my personal life, sending me a priority mailed check to my home and having it signed by a seemingly real person. Fortunately, I am a retired college professor and a published author and former full-time reporter for newspapers and one television station. I am not easily tricked.

    My telephone number is 949-$$$-$$$$. I live in California and will gladly speak to Ms. Wolfe.

    Sincerely,

    Julie A. $$$$$
    Professor Emeritus, Journalism
    Fullerton College
    Published Author of four books and a former journalist.

    I do not want to notify the media with this. I need assistance from PCH as how to proceed. I just had spine surgery recently and find this event very stressful.

    1. Hello Julie, Please do not call that number, do not give the scammer any personal info including bank account information, and definitely do not send them any money if they ask. If you haven’t already done so, please report that scam contact to us via the following link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Stay safe everyone!!

    1. Hi Billy, it sounds like you’ve been contacted by scammers. It’s important to remember that PCH does not contact winners of a major prize via phone, text, email, mail, or on Social Media. Also, if anyone asks you for money for any reason to claim a prize, you can be sure they’re a scammer. Please don’t give them any money, or any personal information! Scammers are very sneaky and will use our good name and reputation to try to deceive people. Stopping them is a team effort so please report any and all scam contacts you receive to PCH at this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. We provide numerous videos, blogs, and tips to recognize these scammers here: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection-2/. Stay safe!

  5. Just got a call a few minutes ago, their number was $$$ $$$-$$$$ “David sawyer.” He never got to ask me for money….only financial help. He was going to do something different but I spoke to him and I guess he changed his mind. This is so sad, how they forget that aiming at older people, they are degrading their parents’ image. The same could be done to them or worse. Almost anyone, if not everyone is in need of financial Blessings, but scamming people, specially the elderly, is like stealing a babe’s milk. That is very shameful.

  6. I received a phone call this morning with the caller identifying themselves as Deborah Holland. She left a message with a prize number ($$$$), as well as a phone number to return the call… $$$ $$$-$$$$. Is this a scam call?

    1. Hi Anne! That is not the real PCH calling you, it’s a scammer that’s only pretending to be from PCH. Please do not call that number, do not give the scammer any personal info including bank account information, and definitely do not send them any money if they ask. 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://bit.ly/FraudProtection2. Stay safe!

  7. Just a FEW MINUTES AGO (approximately 10:00 AM, MST, on Jan 28, 2023), the following incident occurred:

    Phone number ($$$) $$$-$$$$ called and said they were “James Walker” from PCH and I had won $3 MILLION dollars. I told him I was having an emergency and would have to call him back. He gave me this number: ($$$) $$$-$$$$ to call him. I waited 10 minutes; then called the ORIGINAL ($$$) number he called from. He answered as “this is James Walker from Publishers Clearing House.” I hung up the phone….

    1. Hi Robert! 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.

    2. These scams are happening everyday, I presently have two of them trying to scam me. I have the phone number they gave me to call and talk about receiving the prize. As of now I don’t have it in front of me, but I will search until I find it for you. They are supposed to answer when called.