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How To Prevent Friend Requests From PCH Scammers

It’s a story I see all too often when interacting with PCH fans in the social space. A fan will leave a comment on our Official PCH Fan Page on Facebook and less than 5 minutes later, they will get a friend request from a scammer claiming to be a PCH employee. Generally, these scammers pass themselves off as Dave, Todd, or Danielle with the intention of tricking our fans into believing they’ve won. I could go more in depth with the explanation, but here’s a video that covers how the scammers target PCH fans on Facebook.

[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcIammMzrbY[/tube]

Over the past few months, our Community Managers have noticed a pattern. A fan usually receives “friend request” shortly after leaving a comment. Generally scammers watch the PCH page closely and contact the first person they see that’s left a comment. We’ve heard from fans that this often makes them uneasy and many times, annoyed. Some of our fans have told us that they will sometimes accept the friend request just to be able to say “GOTCHA!” to the scammer and let them know they’re on to their game, although we highly advise against this.

Our Consumer Affairs department works closely with Facebook and local authorities to help identify and try to catch these PCH scammers, by sharing data reported to our Fraud Division. Unfortunately, though, this is a process that takes time, and we can’t stop them straight off the bat. But there is something you can do to protect yourselves – and it’s much easier than you think.

PREVENT FRIEND REQUESTS FROM SCAMMERS!

Facebook privacy settings allow you to limit the amount of contact that strangers have with you on Facebook. This means that if you leave a comment on a PCH post and a scammer clicks on your name, they will not be able to send you a private message or even send you a friend request. Here’s how to check your privacy settings on Facebook.

How To Check Your Facebook Privacy Settings
1. Log into Facebook from your desktop computer.

2. On the top right hand side of the page click the small icon that looks like a padlock. These are your privacy settings.
3. Click on “Who Can Contact Me.”

4. Look at the settings beneath the question “Whose Messages Do I Want Filtered Into My Inbox?” Selecting “Strict Filtering” will make it more difficult for scammers to chat with you.

5. Then look at the settings beneath the question “Who Can Send Me Friend Requests” and make sure that it is set to “Friends of Friends.” Leaving it set to “Everyone” may be a personal preference, but keep in mind that scammers can then send you friend requests.

Dont-fall-for-PCH-Scams

So please, consider taking these steps to help prevent friend requests from PCH scammers. Interacting with us should be a fun experience for all of our fans, but most importantly we want to make sure you stay safe! Don’t let PCH scammers ruin the fun!

Stay safe everyone,

Sarah S.
Social Media

Other blogs you may like:
Advice from a Real PCH Fan: Beware of Scams on Facebook!

How To Spot Publishers Clearing House (PCH) Scams!

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Comments

  1. Hello I got a message in my phone from this phone number 1-214-286-6023
    This is the message
    “Hello this is a secure phone call from the publisher clearinghouse headquarters at 101 Winner Circle, Jericho, NY you are a selected winner with publishers clearing house sweepstakes an association with megamillion your claim code is 314838 I repeat 314838 this represent the grand prize package of $2,800,000 and a most awesome bonus prize ever a brand new 2022C class model Mercedes-Benz car please call our claim department at 332-877-1316 we will be expecting your call for clearance there will be agents available to assist with your delivery schedule time have a nice day thank you…”
    This is want they want me to do:
    To write in a paper my name
    Code number 314838
    Confirmation number: 0852752801
    How much I won
    And the car I won
    The people was coming in the van that said price patrol
    Mary Allen
    Dave Sayer
    State government of Texas prices and fees
    $995.87
    He want me to go to a store and get 2 gifts cards totaling this amount before I will get my price
    He told me that his name is
    Robert Johnson ID # B-1202

    1. Hello Martha! 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 you haven’t already done so, please 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. Please be careful everyone; don’t become a scammer’s victim!

    1. Hello Idella, 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. Are you or are you not, FOR REAL! 😆😁🤔
    I hear how scammers try to get you to send money,money money!
    Well I don’t have any honey honey honey !😂😐😂

    1. Hello Deborah, With PCH, a purchase is never required to enter or to win. Per the Official Rules and Sweepstakes Facts, a purchase or lack thereof will not affect a person’s chances of winning. In fact, most winners have been as a result of an entry-only submission. I assure you that PCH never solicits our consumers via outbound calling. If you feel that you may have been contacted by a scammer, please report it to PCH as soon as possible: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH

  3. I’ve entered your PCH GAMES and of course LOTTO and VIP!! for over thirty years I know YOU ARE NOT TRYING TO SCAM ME! I ALSO UNDERSTAND that you have millions of people playing all your games. But they’re fun to play. I’m in my Senior moments of life, and your games give me something to do ! And Yes it still would be VERY SURPRISING if your’ team ever knocked at our door! !!😂😍😘

  4. I think this is very helpful in explaining this, I have been friend requested by scammers claiming to be Danielle Todd and David and it is the most humiliating feeling that you can receive to be contacted by someone that is noticing-publisher clearing house customer’s service fan’s and once they recognize their fan’s they are literally torturing them with lies and deceit and picture’s and affidavit’s of my win’s only to be told your not a winner and after all of that, I didn’t even know publisher clearinghouse employee’s names such as these’s been mention anyway. I even flew to Facebook and Instagram business in California to only be escorted out for being on their property, with fake affidavit by the CEO of publisher clearing house and delivery of package I paid for and of Facebook and Instagram asking for me to report to Facebook to pick up a truck and more. P.s ‘after all of this to hear from Danielle Todd David Ryan Michelle would have been the most pleasurable feeling to have and being 1 of there fan’s you would think to say thank God because ‘I’m in it to win it ‘ I was so excited and so overwhelmed with joy that these people contacted me as I thought but never knowing these were unemployed people searching out The Richer people’s admire Reese an fan ship, well the only thing I can say is lucky me for getting a Facebook face mask I don’t even think they sell them anywhere but that’s all I walked away with. Signed so humiliated by you.

    1. Hi Anatole! 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.

  5. Different people pretending to members of PCH has been trying to friend me. The only person I allowed to see things are my friends

    1. Hi Jewelldean, so sorry to hear the scammers have contacted you. We would like to remind everyone that you never have to pay to claim a PCH prize. PCH do NOT contact winners of a major prize via phone, text, email, mail, or on Social Media. Please report all scammers to us by completing a scam incident report: https://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. We provide numerous videos, blogs, and tips to help protect yourself and you can check it out here: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection-2/. Please stay safe!

  6. I want to win it, but I am not responding to any messages on Facebook. Colquhoun Ron. This person tried to get money from me a year ago. He said the PHC would be at my house. After reading the rules I know not to send money. This is a scam. If I win, you know my information.

    1. Hi Lora, 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. 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!!

  7. Just received a call from a Mark Maxwell claiming I won grand prize. Wants a new savings account opened. Not happening.
    Gave no personal information. Wanted a beneficiary in case of death. Wanted to know if wanted private or public receipt of prize.