Hi friends and fans! I hope today finds you well!
As a fan and follower of PCH, I bet you know all about the different ways to get in to WIN. Maybe you even dream of finding the Prize Patrol on your doorstep with champagne, flowers, and the “Big Check” made out TO YOU.
But have you ever thought about what you’d do if you were contacted by a Scammer pretending to be from the real PCH?
Scammers have lots of tricks up their sleeves, and here at PCH, we want to keep you in to win and above all – SAFE! In fact, Danielle from the Prize Patrol has some safety tips for you. Check out this video!
Now, let’s say that you HAVE been contacted by a scammer. What steps should you take next?
Whether a scammer has contacted you by phone, by postal mail, by email or by social media, don’t wait: fill out the online PCH scam form as soon as you can. You will be guided step-by-step through the process. Our goal is to keep you and all of our other PCH friends and fans protected!
Here are some other ways to help you STOP fraudulent Scammers in their tracks:
If someone tells you that you’ve won a major prize from PCH through social media (Facebook or Instagram)…
STOP!
PCH employees and Prize Patrol Members will NEVER contact you this way
Likewise, if you get a friend request or private message from someone claiming to be a PCH employee or a Prize Patrol Member…
STOP!
The Prize Patrol will NEVER send friend requests or private messages to you. EVER!
If someone says you must pay a fee or purchase something to claim your prize…
STOP!
There is NEVER a fee or a purchase required – at PCH the winning is always FREE!
If someone asks you to verify personal information (credit card number, bank account number, driver’s license number)…
STOP!
We will NEVER ask you for that information – and you should NEVER provide it to someone you don’t know!
Please remember: our BIG PRIZES are awarded live and in person by our famous Prize Patrol. Major prize awards and SuperPrize winners are NOT notified by email.
We may notify winners of smaller prize amounts by overnight express from UPS, FedEx or USPS Express Mail and occasionally through email (and if we do, rest assured: there’s no fee to claim ANY PRIZE!)
In the meantime, don’t let the scammers keep you from enjoying PCH to the fullest! There’s a $1,000.00 A Day For Life Prize in our special early look event that’s ready for award on October 31st! If there’s no match to the winning number, an alternate winner will be selected to receive a millionaire-making base prize instead.
With so much at stake in JUST WEEKS, enter every day and every way you can!
• Go to PCH Sweepstakes
• Play at PCHgames
• Get news and entertainment info at PCHfrontpage
• Take a quiz at PCHquizzes
• Visit the PCH Fan Page on Facebook or download our PCH app (you can get a free download for both Android and Apple)
Stay safe everybody!
All the best,
Maria S.
PCH Online Creative
More Blog Posts of Interest:
What To Do If You’re Contacted By A Publishers Clearing House Scammer
When it comes to PCH, I BELIEVE MY EXPERIENCE IS BEST DESCRIBED AS A FRAUD, RATHER THAN A SCAM, BY PCH!!
I wish I would have known this 2 years ago. I was scared and only lost 300+$$. When I saw what was going on I turned these people into the police. That’s what our police deptarnt advised.
Hello Muriel, We’re so glad that you knew that wasn’t the real PCH. As you know, the Prize Patrol will never ask for money to claim a prize. Please report any details you have about this scammer to PCH here: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. You can also check out this PCH Blog for ways to stop scammers from contacting you on Facebook: http://bit.ly/StopFBScammers. Stay safe and protect yourselves please!!
I photo copied the scammers email address
Hello Dan, We’re so happy that you knew that wasn’t the real PCH who contacted you. We will never ask for money to claim a prize. We also don’t notify winners via phone, standard mail, email, or social media. Please report all scam contacts to PCH via this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Stay safe everyone!
From phone # $$$ $$$-$$$$:
“Hello, this is a secure phone call from the US megamillion at $$$$ S$$$$$$$$ Dr., W$$$$, NC. You are selected winner with Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes, and association with WinStar International. Your plane code is $$$$$$, I repeat $$$$$$. This represents a grand prize package of $4.3 million plus the most awesome bonus prize ever, a brand-new 2023 Mercedes-Benz. Please call our claims department at $$$ $$$-$$$$, again $$$ $$$-$$$$. We will be expecting your calls for clearance thank you…”
Hi Juanita! That is not the real PCH calling you; it’s a scammer that’s only pretending to be from PCH. Please do not call that number, do not give the scammer any personal info including bank account information, and definitely do not send them any money if they ask. Make sure to report that scam contact to us via the following link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. I encourage you to read these Safety Tips too: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection. Stay safe!
I was contacted by phone and told I had won 25 million dollars. The man’s name was Robert Allen. Later on I talked with Zac Williams. I’ve probably spent $40,000. Robert gave me a phone# of $$$-$$$-$$$$ and a confirmation # of $$$$$$$$. Zac Williams #$$$-$$$-$$$$. This started this in 2021.They kept telling me they need money for taxes and storage, etc. before I would get my prize.
Hi Rhonda, we’re sorry to hear the scammers are bothering you. Please remember, you NEVER have to pay a fee to claim a prize you may have won from PCH, for ANY reason. There are no taxes, storage fees, or any other fees to pay to claim a prize. It’s important to know also that PCH does not contact winners of a major prize privately via phone, text, email, mail, or on Social Media. If anyone asks you for money for any reason to claim a prize, you can be sure they’re a scammer. Please don’t give them any money, or any personal information! You can read more about these kinds of scams here: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection. If you do have a scammer contact you please report them to us at this link: https://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Have a great day, and stay safe!
The phone number is 505 $$$ $$$$. They said that I won 1.2 million and they wanted me to pay 3000.00 for the team to bring me the money. This is the second time. The first was a check for 3068.00.
Hello Cynthia, With PCH, a purchase is never required to enter or to win. Per the Official Rules and Sweepstakes Facts, a purchase or lack thereof will not affect a person’s chances of winning. In fact, most winners have been as a result of an entry-only submission. Please report any details you have about that scam contact to us at this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. I also encourage you to check out these Safety Tips for some great info on what to watch for: https://bit.ly/FraudProtection2. Stay safe everyone!!
I couldn’t fill out your report. It would not let me write. I was contacted by scammers. I spoke to 2 men and a woman. They said they came here to Florida just to give me the big $ 2,500,000. check. They even gave me a photo of them holding the check. But the day they were planning to come here to give the check to me, they wanted $ 9,000. for taxes. They said they could not give me the check until the taxes were paid. Then there was a $ 350. fee, which I paid. I did not have the extra money to give them the other money. I told them I could not come up with that amount of money. so they said I could pay them in smaller amounts. I even opened up a separate bank account for savings, so I didn’t have to give them my real account numbers. They wanted my real bank account numbers, so they could take payments out until the taxes were paid, then they would pay me my winnings. I kept saying NO. One woman, named Mary yelled at me, and I backed her down. I told her don’t you ever yell at me again. I was very patient with them, until I just read your article. Then I realized it was a scam. I will give all the evidence I have. Call me at 570-2$$-$$$6. Or write me at $$$$$$$w@gmx.com
I am sure these people are also after others who don’t check on these matters. I’m glad I did. This woman is going to call me tomorrow. I don’t know what to say to her. They even sent me a photo on my phone of them holding a 2 .5 million dollar sign in my name. It looks real. That is why I thought it was real. They are good at this deception. I am upset and mad at myself for believing them.
Roxanne
Hello Roxanne, 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. To assist you further, please reach out to our customer service team by clicking the link here: https://bit.ly/ContactPCH. Please stay safe.
I was called today, and they said I won and they will be here in two days to give me a check for a half a million.
Hello Janice, 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. I encourage you to read these Safety Tips too: https://bit.ly/FraudProtection2. Please be careful everyone; don’t become a scammer’s victim!
What if the person being scammed is a friend who is not willing to admit that she might be being scammed? She is being asked to pay fees over and over and keeps doing it. How does one report that? The form you provide a link to only allows for you to fill it out if you are the one who was scammed – past tense. Is it possible to report an ongoing scam being perpetrated on a friend?
Hi Anne, we are so sorry to hear about that. Please remind your friend that PCH will NEVER ask for money to claim a prize. You can pass this link on to her, it will help educate her on how to recognize a scammer: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection/. She will have to report them herself, to us here: https://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Thank you for looking out for your friend, we really appreciate it. If you would like to discuss this further with us in person please reach out to us here: http://bit.ly/ContactPCH. Stay safe!
Received call from 332 90$ $$$$ from Andy at PCH said I won the 15 million and new car
Gave me a number 1065. Seemed upset when I didn’t believe him and said if I didn’t call back it meant I didn’t want to win. He said he knew I had multiple entries.
Hello Vivian, Stopping these scammers is a team effort and we ask that you report all scam contacts to PCH via this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Stay safe everyone and be careful of scammers pretending to be the REAL Prize Patrol!