Think You Were Contacted By A Scammer?
If you think you were contacted by a scammer claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, please read this blog for important information, then report it using our online scam form.
Every day we strive to make sure that all of our fans have a fun, enjoyable and safe experience anytime they interact with Publishers Clearing House. When we hear about scams using our company name, we want to do everything we can to help keep you safe and informed.
Unfortunately, with all of the technology available today, scammers have become pretty creative with the many ways they present themselves and contact unsuspecting victims. Sometimes the scams can be so easy to spot, but other times it can really be a challenge.
In fact, just the other day, one of my best friends was contacted by a scammer! She reached out to me via text message and provided the fraudulent name and email address of the scammer. Of course, she wanted to know if the information looked familiar. When I said no, she replied back to me saying “I think I was just contacted by a PCH scammer!” I immediately had her forward the email and sure enough, it was!
So how did the scammer do it? Well, my friend was contacted via email with the subject line “PCH Winner Notification With Ref#…” to let her know she had won a major prize. The body of the email asked her to provide her name, address and phone number to the fiduciary agent!
Those of you who read the PCH Blog regularly might have already spotted some red flags with this situation. Any guesses?
If your answer was that Publishers Clearing House never contacts winners via email to let them know they’ve won a major prize from Publishers Clearing house, then you are correct! As you know, the only way our big winners find out if they’ve won a major prize is when the Prize Patrol shows up at their doorstep! This goes for social media too – remember, we never send our winners messages on Facebook or Instagram to them know they’ve won.
There are also other telltale signs from my friend’s story, such as the scammer asking for personal information. Plus the use of “non PCH language” – like a “Ref#”. Remember, the REAL PCH will NEVER ask you for any of this information. So please, protect yourself and NEVER give out any of your personal information such as names, addresses, phone numbers or bank information.
In my friend’s case, she was able to send me a message right away, to confirm it was a scam. But what should YOU do if you think you’re being scammed? You can report it using the online PCH scam form. Rest assured, PCH will share your information with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the US Postal Service, and police and law enforcement officials around the country to help these agencies put a stop to such illegal and fraudulent operations.
It’s also very important that you not engage further with the scammer. Do NOT send them money, and do not reply to their calls, letters or emails!
Please, stay alert and make sure you always report it any time you think you’ve been contacted by a scammer! The more we know about new scams, the faster we can help protect our fans!
Victoria C.
PCH Creative
Other blogs you may like:
PCH Scam Warning: Please Don’t Post Your Personal Information!
How Do I Report A PCH Scam?
