Pages that are part of Publishers Clearing House scams often look like the real deal: logos and colors and actual employee names are easy to duplicate. This is how this game works on Facebook: Scammers create a Facebook page that will look like the real Publishers Clearing House page. In this guide, well explain how PCH scams work, the red flags to look out for, and what to do if youve sent money or information to scammers. They have now awarded over $527 million in prizes! Publishers Clearing House scam still regularly targeting victims Updated: 6:55 PM EST Jan 25, 2022 Brian Roche Anchor Show Transcript In the past few days, WGAL viewers have been reaching. Please fix it. The scammers told the potential victims that all they needed to do to was pay taxes and perhaps other fees in order to wire the huge cash prizes to their bank accounts: At least one Twitter user tweeted about being duped by the Publishers Clearing House phone scam, calling it a "nightmare": Thankfully, a number of people came to the rescue and told the user to stop communicating with the scammers. When I asked her for a callback number, she gave me an 888number, which turned out to be Publishers Clearing House. If you were contacted by someone claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House, or claiming to be a PCH employee and were asked to send or wire money, send a pre-paid gift card or a Green Dot MoneyPak card, or cash a check and send a portion back to them as payment for any reason to claim a Sweepstakes prize - STOP - You have not heard from the real Publishers Clearing House. Because of the thick accent I asked him where he was from (thinking Nigeria) and he said New Jersey. The Publishers Clearing House website states, "All PCH prices of $500 or greater are awarded by either certified or express letter or in person by our famous Prize Patrol at our option." Got a manager on the phone and he said they were having technical difficulties. God Bless and Good luck PCH family. PCH has marketed merchandise and magazine subscriptions to American households since 1967 and has given away more than half a billion dollars since it was founded., The company awards between $3 million and $13 million to Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes participants every year [*]. Call type: Website: Recent suspicious numbers. The thing is I want the money to help others also. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect. They send a check over to you and ask you to send a small amount back to them due to an error. Heres what you need to know about these calls. Feel free to use the Comments section below to expose other scammers. HWn7W>L,nc,+#9A`@-A{Ev,vn&E N_o_f:}tI`FN\{7({w.9xjK (o'/wuE9-|A\y'|Fgq@k/v;X X^{;y=2Q>'g#|S5Q<4w:Pk&7yPfBVh4v':|@ LgX1lAt^6~0+z:Lb8+4|$aq@bPy>#'?00ug#x.Gi.2tG__qNyfFTDO(&Q^!x]"Hq_xh?Nw-Mi 6+D9_O8}NZ+Wr Tj(-*iIG3 #MA65!67tHYk]K:n up{S;B%R Ranked #1 by Security.Org and IdentityProtectionReview.com. 0000003313 00000 n If you receive a Publishers Clearing House phone call, email, or letter in your mailbox saying that you have won a prize, you can be sure that it is a scam. For PCHApps, please click here. All she needs is to verify my info. The reality here was that the company only notifies winners of their prizes by visiting them in person with their PCH Prize Patrol. So they keep doing it. Identity theft and fraud protection for your finances, personal info, and devices. Always look for the blue verification badge on any PCH official page. How can I enter the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes? Finally, out of disgust I answered and was told that I had won $2.5 million and a Mercedes Benz. The caller convinced Kenneth to wire nearly $4,000 before he caught on to the scam. Some Publishers Clearing House scams are using telephone calls to inform of winnings and claiming they need your credit card number or bank account information in order to send your prize. At Publishers Clearing House we care about consumers and we want you to stay protected from imposter SCAMMERS fraudulently pretending to be associated with our well-recognized Publishers Clearing House name! They will never use phone calls or send a major prize check in the mail. Report a phone call from +1-917-998-4095. It is a toll free telephone number, but I am afraid to check if the number is legit. rent Got a phone call from a friendly chap claiming to be an attorney with Cohen Zimmerman & Associates out of Portland, ME. Where can I view a recent PCH Winners list? An official website of the United States government. He also asked me if I am at home, office or driving right now. If you feel that people are trying to tell you to keep such secrets, there is more to it. These scams often tempt victims with valuable prize winnings. Name: * Your masked IP address will be shown if you won't enter your name. However, this was nothing more than an old scam. WE WERE NOT TO TELL ANYONE UNTIL WE HAD PAID THE MONEY TO INSURE BEFORE WE WOULD GET IT. 0000030173 00000 n The scammers are trying to push you into a heightened emotional state, to knock you off balance just long enough to steal your money and personal information. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. This means that the Publishers Clearing House will never send you a check for over $600 without having you sign an affidavit regarding your identity. May 5, 2021. There are never any strings attached to winning a Publishers Clearing House prize. Fraudsters continue targeting Americans with new versions of PCH scams because they work. Here's the truth: The one and only way that Publishers Clearing House officially notifies winners that they've won prizes is by visiting them in person. How to protect your personal information and privacy, stay safe online, and help your kids do the same. You never would have to make any purchases to claim a prize and purchasing will not increase your chances of winning. We wont post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups. The Publishers Clearing House is also known for their charitable giving donating over $1 million to programs like the ASPCA, Saint Judes Research Hospital, and more! We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect. For PCHSearch & Win, please click here. The scam starts with a call or letter saying youve won the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. Notify me about the newest scams every week. How are PCH winners notified? 0000020214 00000 n Scammers often tell victims to cash fake checks and not tell anyone. Some scammers will even send a fake check for you to cash and wire to them to them for fees. too ! Recently Reported Phone Calls in 876 Area Code. Have you heard about it? These scammers will tell you that these fees are insurance costs, bank fees, or taxes. Child members on the family plan will only have access to online account monitoring and social security number monitoring features. 0000017226 00000 n With the Publishers Clearing House grand prize, they don't call. They were going to come to my house (dont know if they even knew the address, they never confirmed it) but would present me with a certified check of which they would even take me to my bank so I could deposit it & then pay the 1% of taxes they say that I had to pay. Heres what you need to know about these calls. It may also be a good idea to educate family members and friends who might be susceptible to this kind of scam. 0000025037 00000 n JLb:G+A 5H/YZkL1S! They say, Congratulations, youve won a million dollars, a Mercedes-Benz, and seven thousand dollars a week for life! or some other amazing sounding prizes. It seems like scammers are targeting in new ways every day! This means that potential victims of Publishers Clearing House scams often recognize the name and assume the winning claims are legitimate! They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission. Low Income Relief is not a bank or financial institution and we do not provide cash or financial products.Low Income Relief is part of The Lighthouse Information Network LLC, a content creation company owned by Nicole Thelin and based in Utah, USA. Copyright 2023 Scam Detector Media Inc.. All Rights Reserved. If anyone calls asking you to pay for a prize, hang up and, And, if you wired money to a prize scammer via Western Union between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017, you might be. Please report any scams at their Publishers Clearing House scams site. Still think its real? They asked if I had a vanilla gift card and I was what is that? How do I change my name/address information at Publishers Clearing House? No. They are also well known for their Win $5,000 a Week for Life prize advertisements. Major prize award and SuperPrize winners are not notified via email. LOL I have had these calls before but with other things & never call their number but the actual place. If you think youve won a prize, here are a few things to know: Want to know more? You can view your order status, check your account balance and pay your bill right away. EBT Scammers are very good at making people believe that they are legit. While Publishers Clearing House has been a reputable company for nearly 70 . Your email address will not be published. An official website of the United States government. They also will never ask prize winners to help load their winnings onto any kind of a card. My husband and I have taken people in and helped them for 40 years and we could use the money too for repairs on our home that doing that takes on a home. Some one name Paul is using it.I cant go to the sweepstakes because of this. Friendly or familial identity theft, Unemployment and government benefits identity theft, Account takeovers (social media, email, etc. My mother taught me if it sounds to good to be true, chances are they are trying to scam you. First they copy images and content from the PCH Prize Patrol official Facebook account. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. You could have also won other prizes such as tropical holidays or electronic equipment like smartphones. You should also never use the contact information provided on the winning claim notification as these phone numbers and emails often belong to people running the Publishers Clearing House scams. ,DevP_ 5YiN449q?k]87 BGzx>hM!tJ$~a1pG=>m9}AQ$Vv IAhEnYA;wv 0000020060 00000 n It is calculated using the information contained in your Equifax credit file. The catch is that these Publishers Clearing House scams use counterfeit or stolen checks, but when you wire the fees to them (usually via Western Union or Money Gram), those come out of your account that you deposited the funds to. Publishers Clearing House's headquarters are located on the east coast, in the state of New York. If youve received a phone call claiming that youve won any prize with the Publishers Clearing House; you know its fake. How do the Publishers Clearing House scams work? I had a hard time trying to understand the man who made the call as he gave me these phone numbers. Publishers Clearing House, a limited liability company founded in 1953, is a leading direct-to-consumer company offering a unique blend of curated multi-channel shopping and free-to-play, chance-to-win digital entertainment across a network of web and app-based entertainment properties. The caller ID number was 202.856.7945 although the caller likely spoofed that number. Now pay us, is always scammer. At Publishers Clearing House the winning is always free! To file a detailed report about a scam, go to. How do I contact Publishers Clearing House? I did not give any bank account or credit card info to him. Fraudsters use the promise of life-changing winnings to persuade you to send them money or provide sensitive information that they can use for identity theft and fraud.. Publishers Clearing House has a toll-free number you can call to verify any prize notification you receive from them. If someone calls you on the telephone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House and says you have won, it's a Publishers Clearing House Scam. He sent a letter with a package claim # and prize listing # and said I needed to give them $8,640.00. I have called a number which I thought was Mr. Sayers and have not received a call back from him. You can add your number to the national do-not-call registry and report if you receive unsolicited calls from numbers that are part of Publishers Clearing House scams.