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 received a phone call from somebody by the name of Mr. Paul M$$$$$. They gave me a phone number of $$$ $$$-$$$$. They claimed I won 5.5 million, I’m assuming this was a scam. They wanted to know who I banked with.
Hi John, that’s definitely a scam. 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!
That wanted me to buy a vanilla gift card to pay for the taxes. They said then that they would hand over 120 thousand dollars and a car, Mercedes Benz, and when I said no they just kept going and kept calling and calling u till I blocked them.
Hi Nancy, we’re sorry the scammers have been 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!
I received a phone call today from a Andrew Goldberg CEO of PCH. saying I was a winner of $3.5Million dollars plus $5000 bonus. I am suppose to go to Walmart, or Dollar General, pay $505.00 for a registration receipt/Commer Card and have it an a photo I. D. of myself in order to get the Winning funds/Check on, 3/31/23 at 1:30pm. Andrew Goldberg had a foreign accent also.
I was surprised because his picture he looks much younger.
Hello Canellia, We certainly take the issue of scams and the illegal use of our name by scammers very seriously; that’s why we regularly educate our fans on what they can do to protect themselves. 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 was just contacted by phone at 10 PM at night by a man who calls himself “Todd Sloane”. He was telling me that he represents Publisher’s Clearing House” and other company’s. He and his partners just drove in to California from Georgia. And that tomorrow, they would be coming by my house to give me gifts. And that I won over 9 million dollars. But he wanted to get my personal information so that they would be able to transfer the funds to my bank account. I told them there is no way that I would give them anything. I asked why are they calling me so late to tell me this info. He claimed that they just got into California State lines after being detained from the authorities for carrying so much money over State lines. But, that he wanted to let me know that he and his cohorts would be coming by tomorrow to drop off the info so that I could have the prize money deposited into my bank account. I got his phone number from the phone. It was 678-881-$$$$. I refused to give him anything, and that I would be contacting you guys to confirm this situation. I wanted to inquire about this weird phone call. But, if this info that I gave you could help report him to the authorities; then I feel better. Thank you for your attention. If you need to contact me for any info, you can email me at pa$$$$$$$@gmail.com, or my phone us 408-841-$$$$. Thank You! Sincerely, Pamela .
Hello Pamela, 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!
Scammers have called me several times saying it was PCH one even said she was Debra Holland and Dave Sayers was my claim agent. She had a forian accent so I knew right away scammer. I don’t think Debra works there anymore and PCH doesn’t phone you they come to your door unannounced. Plus if you win something you never have to pay to receive your winnings.
Hello Myrna, That is a scammer posing as Danielle! The real PCH doesn’t notify our major prize winners via phone to claim a PCH prize. Do not give the scammer ANY of your personal information. Please report this scam to us by completing a scam incident report. Click this link to find out how: https://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. Check out our Fraud Protection site to see how to stay safe: https://bit.ly/PCHFraudPrevention. We’re so happy that you knew that wasn’t the real PCH who contacted you.
Yes I have had 4 different people trying to tell me they were Howie Guija, and I needed to pay a fee to win my PCH. Unfortunately they got me good for many years until I just learned that you don’t have to pay to win and they come to your home with no advance notice. I have nearly lost everything I own in these last few yrs thinking I was goin to win PCH, I was wrong I never did and I lost thousands.
Hi Carol, we are very sorry to hear about that. 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 received a letter through USPS supposedly from PCH, that I was one of 3 winners and my share in the winnings is $2,500,000.00/$8.000.00 a week for life deposited with Financial Security Bank. I was told to call Mr. William Moss at 1-$$$-$$$-$$$$ or 1-$$$-$$$-$$$$ within 72 hours. I did not call. The return address on the envelope is $ D$$$$$ St., New York, NY $$$$$, with no stamp, but inked postage POST CANADA on it. The letter has the PCH logo and a picture of Mrs. Deborah Holland on it. The winning number is 8 digits separated in pairs with dashes which doesn’t look like numbers I have seen in mailings from you. The letter said not to tell anyone until the prize is processed and remitted into my account.
Hi Jill! I’m sorry to tell you that was a scam, not the real PCH. It’s important to remember that PCH does not contact winners of a major prize via phone, text, email, mail, or on Social Media. Also, if anyone asks you for money for any reason to claim a prize, you can be sure they’re a scammer. Please don’t call those numbers, don’t give them any money, or any personal information! You can report them to us at this link: https://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH. We provide numerous videos, blogs, and tips to recognize these scammers here: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection-2/. Stay safe!
I received a call, the man said this a call from publishers clearing house. I have not claimed my 2,000000 part of the 100.000000 million sweepstate and a Mercedes. I need to get a $499 gift card and receipt. Call him back in 3 hours. The price patrol and car on a truck would be there. Show them the gift card and receipt, that’s it.
Hello Bobby, The real PCH doesn’t notify our major prize winners via phone, standard mail, email, or social media, and we never ask for money to claim a prize. Please report any details you have about that scam contact to us at this link: http://bit.ly/Report-Scam-To-PCH.Stay Safe Everyone!
Hello, I am being contacted by a man claiming to be Michael C. The number he is using is $$$ $$$-$$$$. He keeps calling and texting me that I have won $6,500,000. His badge number is $$$$$$. He gave me these numbers: $$$$$$$$$$$$/$$$$$$$$$$$$.
The last time he called me he was using a Las Vegas number.
Hi Tim! 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!
I’ve had several calls saying I have won $8.5 million and $10000 a week for life and a new Mercedes. I have to get a $500 gift card to give them when they deliver all of the above. Is this a scam? They are supposed to come this afternoon. Please respond quickly.
Hi Janey! 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!