As our fans well know, Publishers Clearing House is a famous brand notorious for handing out massive sums of money. Unfortunately, because PCH is such a recognizable name tied to big-money winners, this dynamic lends itself to different Publishers Clearing House impersonator scams and swindlers using our good name.
While Publishers Clearing House has been a reputable company for nearly 70 years, PCH scams do exist. Because of this lamentable fact, we want to show you what to look out for so that you can avoid these kinds of frauds and how to protect yourself from Publishers Clearing House impersonator scams that emerge from time to time.
On that note, let’s take a look at how to stay safe against potential PCH impersonator scams.
Staying Safe from PCH Impersonator Scams
While there are different kinds of PCH impersonator scams, the thing that each Publishers Clearing House impersonator scam shares in common is that they contact fans stating that they have won a prize, likely a considerable amount of money.
The fact is that Publishers Clearing House will never contact major prize winners to let you know that you have won money. When PCH fans win big, we show up at their house unannounced, cameras rolling, so that we can capture their big moment. PCH will not contact you via social media, phone call, text message, or similar means of outreach.
In the event that PCH does contact a winner, it will be one who won $10,000 or less, and that will typically be done via an overnight express carrier such as UPS, FedEx or USPS Express Mail.
Therefore, to stay safe from PCH impersonator scams, you will want to make sure that you never post your personal information online (such as address, social security number, birth date, phone number, etc.) and to never give over your bank account information to someone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House.
On that note, let’s take a moment to talk about the kinds of PCH impersonator scams that our fans might encounter.
Publishers Clearing House Impersonator Scam Types
As it stands, there are several types of PCH impersonator scams that fraudsters will utilize.
The first is an attempt to retrieve personal information from a person, including some of the things mentioned earlier (social security number, address, date of birth, etc.). In essence, these people are looking to commit identity fraud. Therefore, you should never give out any of this information online, particularly to those who are claiming to be from PCH.
The second kind of Publishers Clearing House impersonator scam involves trying to extract money from a person. This can be done in a couple of different ways.
The first is that the scammer will ask for your bank account information to deposit your “PCH winnings.” Again, Publishers Clearing House will never ask for your banking info, which means that anyone asking for these details have nefarious intentions. The second is that the scammer will go as far as to send you a fake check. However, in the United States, sweepstakes sponsors will need to send the winner an affidavit prior to sending any check over $600. Thus, if you have not received an affidavit, there is a good chance you are being set up by a fraudster. To avoid this kind of sham, it is wise to familiarize yourself with fake check scams.
How to Report PCH Impersonator Scams
With this understanding of different PCH impersonator scams, how to spot them, and how to avoid getting caught in one, the only thing left is to learn how to report a Publishers Clearing House impersonator scam.
To make things as easy as possible for our friends and fans, we have created a dedicated PCH impersonator scam reporting page that will walk you through the process, asking everything we need to know about you and the incident. The info will then be shared with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the US Postal Service, and police and law enforcement officials to help put an end to the scam.
Protecting Yourself Again PCH Impersonator Scams
We hope this information was helpful and successfully protects you from any potential PCH impersonator scams (and other types of internet scams) that you may encounter.
Tell us, has anyone tried to scam you in the name of PCH? How did you know it was a scam? Let us know in the comments section below!
I was sure that if I had won money from PCH, it would not be by phone call. I thought it would be via mail or something else.
Hello Jane, 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. Stay Safe Everyone!
They’ve been running game on me since last weekend. For 5 min. I couldn’t breath, then my brain re-engaged. It was actually a voice mail, then we googled the phone number and a big yellow flashing scam alert came up.. waaa!
Hi Kimberly, we’re so sorry to hear that happened to you. 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. Stay safe!
I have had 2 phone calls from the same person. Wanting me to get the green dot gift card and put $100 dollars on it to claim the money I won, then they will send me the winning money plus the $100 on green dot card back to me.
I told them that’s not the way PCH handle the winning.
You are a scammer. Then they hung up on me.
Hi Pamela, I’m glad you could tell that was a scammer. 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. Stay safe!
Forgot to add that I do not have a Wells Fargo account; the one I reported here was supposedly set up by PCH FOR me because I “won” a couple of weeks ago and hadn’t been contacted.
Scammer also mentioned William Hamrick as my husband and that was a real red flag as Bill was my brother-in-law, but scammer did have my first name, middle initial, last name and correct address
Do you recommend that I should report this to anyone else?
Hello Virginia, Please report all scam contacts to PCH via this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Thank you!!
I was contacted by phone – message left for me to call Dave Sayers at $$$-$$$-$$$$, badge number $$$$$ (he’s 39 years old).
Details given to contact Wells Fargo Bank NY @ $-$$$-$$$-$$$$, tell them my account number is $$$$$$$, pin $$$$ selection 2, then call him back and keep my information confidential. Fortunately for me, we were talking after banking hours in NY so I had time to contact you.
Hi Virginia! That is not the real PCH calling you; it’s a scammer that’s only pretending to be from PCH. Please do not call that number, do not give the scammer any personal info including bank account information, and definitely do not send them any money if they ask. Make sure to report that scam contact to us via the following link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. I encourage you to read these Safety Tips too: https://bit.ly/FraudProtection2. Stay safe!
Yes I have had 2 callers this morning claiming that I have won a large prize from PCH. The first caller ph# 1-$$$-$$$-$$$$, claiming the I won $7.5 million dollars and a Mercedes Benz. I knew he was a fraud when he said I needed an open bank account with a balance of at least $100,000 minimum balance. The second caller ph# $-$$$-$$$-$$$$, his name is Benjamin Bush. He said I had won $4.5 million dollars and a Mercedes Benz. I knew he was also a fraud when he told me I had to go to Walmart and purchase a Green Dot prepaid Visa to deposit my winnings and pay my $1500 tax to the IRS. I told him the taxes are much much more on that amount of prize winnings and you can not deposit $4.5 million dollars onto a Green Dot Card. And that it is against the law in this country to be asked to pay any type of fee to receive sweepstake winnings and the taxes do not need to be paid at the moment winnings are received. And that PCH does not notify winners by phone, they surprise you by coming to your door to present prizes over $10,000.
Please report this to law enforcement, thank you.
Hi Marjorie, we’re sorry to hear the scammers are bothering you. 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. Stay safe!
My head was spinning, it looked so real. Then I stopped and thought. And I Googled it. I’m sure SO many people are taken in by this. It’s disgusting beyond words. They sent me a very legit looking check for$8748.98, “so I can pay the taxes due on the prize money”. They said they would “refer me to legal and financial advisors” on how to handle my new fortune. There is a shiny mylar “security tag” on the check. I’m going to copy it and email it to my friends and neighbors. And I’m reporting it to you and the USPS for Mail Fraud.
Hello Lisa, We’re so glad that you knew that wasn’t the real PCH. Please report all scam contacts to PCH via this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Thank you!!
I just got a phone call, called it back, and they said they were PCH.
Hello David! 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. 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!
I realized it was scam when they asked for money. Then I went to the profile page. It was started a month ago. Another with Victor’s name started two months ago. Then I noticed how many followers there were and they were growing very quickly throughout the day. I thought I was entering for the Hawaii drawing, and it wasn’t even you guys. Also the names listed are all from another country, claiming to be here. If I was older, I would have fallen for this. PCH has been in my family for over 40 years that we have devoted. My mother spent a small fortune buying magazines from you for everybody in our family… LOL… RIP mom. Thanks for your time. I’m sorry It really upset me. Thank you for doing what you do. My dream job was to be on Prize Patrol. There wasn’t a school for it… LOL~
Hi Amy, we’re sorry to hear that the scammers are bothering you. Please make sure to 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.
Some one tried to scam me last week.