But dont let your desire for a life of luxury and riches make you a vulnerable target for scammers., If you receive any communication claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, do your due diligence. No matter whether a scammer has contacted you by phone, by postal mail, by email or by social media (such as Facebook), we strongly encourage you to fill out the online PCH scam form. I am 99.99999% sure this is a scam. Friendly or familial identity theft, Unemployment and government benefits identity theft, Account takeovers (social media, email, etc. However, this was nothing more than an old scam. Director, Member Services got back to me "I was told my prize had been given to alternative winner because I did not contact them in time. You could also find our Daily Prize winners by viewing Token exchange page or by clicking here. Since PCH awards a steady range of prizes throughout the year, at our option we may notify winners of $10,000 or less via an overnight express carrier such as UPS, FedEx or USPS Express Mail and occasionally via email. If you have already sent your money to a Publishers Clearing House scammer, you should contact your local police station. Read our article on Prize Scams. Score EXTRA Tokens when you watch your first video of the day! Often scam emails will come from a Hotmail or Yahoo account and contain typos and grammar errors. coronavirus People please be very careful! Make smart shopping decisions, know your rights, and solve problems when you shop or donate to charity. 0000014090 00000 n But in order to do so, youll need to verify your identity by sharing a bank account number or other sensitive personal information. I did the same thing as above. 0000027767 00000 n Make smart shopping decisions, know your rights, and solve problems when you shop or donate to charity. Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes are free to enter, require no purchases, and require no payments or fees to receive prizes. 0000010639 00000 n We do not ask for bank account information. Meanwhile, educate yourself with some other lottery fraud-related articles below, so that you know how to stay safe online. One of those scams was 8 Figure Dream Lifestyle, which touted a proven business model and told Scammers are calling people and using the names of two companies everyone knows, Apple and Amazon, to rip people off. If you feel that people are trying to tell you to keep such secrets, there is more to it. library 5. Have you heard about it? Stay up to date with the latest news and learn how to keep you and your family safe online. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy. We wont post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity. If any of these situations applies to you, please click here to fill out a Scam Incident ReportOr Chat with us nowbyclicking here. 0000003634 00000 n 0000012431 00000 n It is so upsetting because my Dad entered all the time til he died and I have entered for over 25 years and nothing but false hope. Share. First they copy images and content from the PCH Prize Patrol official Facebook account. Lenders use many different credit scoring systems, and the score you receive with Aura is not the same score used by lenders to evaluate your credit. The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. If you are confused about whether your win is legitimate, contact Publishers Clearing House directly to ask them if they can verify your prize. 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. ). In May 2022, Google and Twitter users were searching for answers after receiving phone calls from scammers who claimed to be affiliated with the Publishers Clearing House (PCH) sweepstakes. If you'd like to get a quick response by email, telephone, or live chat, contact them Mondays through Fridays between 8:30 am and 11 pm Eastern Time. 4 ways Publishers Clearing House scams contact victims! We wont post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. An official website of the United States government. This is how this game works on Facebook: Scammers create a Facebook page that will look like the real Publishers Clearing House page. So we started asking him questions, like where they were located, their address and was told he would transfer us to a Senior Attorney to answer all our questions. Even though you may need to fill out an affidavit to verify eligibility if you win, you will not have to give any information when you enter. too ! So dont fall for the Check in the Mail scam. But if you get a call from someone saying, Youve won, dont believe the hype. LOL Like I would call a number that some random person gives me. They will never use phone calls or send a major prize check in the mail. Related: How To Identify a Fake Check (and What To Do) , One common version of the PCH scam involves fraudsters asking victims to contact a designated claims agent. This trick is designed to give you the impression that youre dealing with a third-party professional who is managing your prize award.. There is no processing fee, tax or special handling charge required to win and our prizes are delivered free of charge to the winners. Typically you'll be asked to send money by Western Union or MoneyGram, or by getting a reloadable card or gift card. Help please he keeps calling. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Also phone number was 1-516-430-3606 telling me from Jericho ny then phone shows up Wantaghiny New York, They scammers first pretending to be a lawyer Tim and the somebody this time pretending to be Todd sloan tell me I won big prize 2,800,000.00 then wanted my bank information. The IRS has a $600 threshold for reporting of winnings. You never would have to make any purchases to claim a prize and purchasing will not increase your chances of winning. It is your choice whether to submit a comment. But when the check you deposit bounces even after it seemed to clear you may be on the hook for the money you sent. Fraud Protection - PCH Information Center children 7 0 obj <> endobj xref Last time they left automated message informing me that I won the sweepstake price from Publisher Clearing House and I should phone back at the number 877-725-3991 to claim my prize. Another recent version of PCH scams is when a criminal gets access to your social media account and contacts your extended family members, telling them that they have won all the money. 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. They never include having to pay money or give out personal information to receive a prize. Check to see if you. I was the winner. Start small, then add on. If you signed up for Aura through a free trial, then your membership purchase date will be the date you signed up for your free trial, and you will have 60 days from the date you signed up for your free trial to cancel and request a refund. When a Pennsylvania man opened his mail, the last thing he expected to find was a check for $12.5 million from Publishers Clearing House [*]. The fact is, Publishers Clearing House never notifies winners in advance. But to collect your prize, they say, you need to send money to pay for fees and taxes. Your browser either does not have JavaScript enabled or does not appear to support enough features of JavaScript to be used well on this site. It seems like scammers are targeting in new ways every day! The Publishers Clearing House asks people to contact them directly if they wish to confirm any winnings. These imposter Scammers are using any means available: mail, telephone, email, even Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to carry out their scams. I had a hard time trying to understand the man who made the call as he gave me these phone numbers. I received several calls from someone who claimed his name is Roger Alston at 775-766-9942. Youve probably heard: this holiday season, it might be harder to find the gifts youre looking for. A more modern spin is Publishers Clearing House scams involving fake Facebook pages or social media accounts! Research before responding. They then ask for money before they can claim their winnings. As compared to the competition. I am assuming that these contacts have been scammers and I havent given them any money. All she needs is to verify my info. To Email Us: For PCH.com, please click here. The funny thing is just last week my co-worker who sits behind me in the lab at work got several phone calls from "Publisher's Clearing House" telling him he won $7,000 a week for life and that they would be arriving at his house today! If you have to pay, its a scam. Notify me about the newest scams every week. Of course, a little bit skeptical about how is that just simple to win such big chunk of money with no effort at all. Even sent a fancy PCH Winner certificate which I saved for you. Most Publishers Clearing House scams work by convincing victims that they have won a large prize but must pay a fee to claim it. If you switched to a new annual plan within 60 days of your initial Aura annual subscription, you may still qualify for the Money Back Guarantee (based upon your initial annual plan purchase date). military Customer they ever had and due to that they were Giving me a $2,000,000,00 Check and $10,000 a week for life!!!!! Maybe he knew I was very skeptical. The Publishers Clearing House is actually a marketing company that was founded in 1953 selling magazine subscriptions. These Publishers Clearing House scams operate by claiming there are legal fees, processing fees, handling fees, card loading fees, border fees, taxes, etc. When PCH fans start following the Facebook page, the scammers will message them and tell them that they have won a prize. Funny, but he had the exact accent as a gentleman who did a video on these scams. They also gave me claim code. The Publishers Clearing House Company is legit, but many scammers use this name. I found out I was involved in a scam from my bank I was told I won 1.7 million dollars a Mercedes Benz and 5000 for 52 weeks Social Security Scammers take money from you in exchange for a reward that they promise, but it will never be sent. Jordan Liles is a Snopes reporter with expertise in investigating misinformation, inauthentic social media activity, and scams. The site owner may have set restrictions that prevent you from accessing the site. 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.. 0000045780 00000 n Postage Paid and also a red stamp beneath my address, (to deliver on or about 10/18/22 written in ink). Scammers are very good at making people believe that they are legit. vanilla card with $200.00 on it . If you receive a check for over $600 in the mail without having received an affidavit, the check is very likely part of the Publishers Clearing House scams.A simple way to confirm if a check is legitimate is to verify the information on it. PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE uspis.gov 1-877-876-2455 Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is a legitimate sweepstakes, but there are many scams that use . Gave me a package code number. How to protect your personal information and privacy, stay safe online, and help your kids do the same. Heres an example of how a typical PCH scam plays out: In some versions of this increasingly popular scam, victims are asked to send their Social Security number (SSN), bank account details, or other personal data giving scammers everything needed to steal their victims identities., The bottom line is that Publishers Clearing House never requires winners to pay [*].. We review all comments before they are posted, and we wont post comments that dont comply with our commenting policy. 0000000016 00000 n We wont post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions. specific PCH property. Should I worry? Learn about getting and using credit, borrowing money, and managing debt. So, Ill wait till Dave, Howie, or Daniel knock on.my door with balloons, and flowers!.! But you can tell it's a scam because of what they do next: they ask you. Heres how you can tell if youre being targeted by a sweepstakes scam: Related: What Happens If You Unknowingly Deposit a Fake Check? If you think youve won a prize, here are a few things to know: Want to know more? How do I contact Publishers Clearing House? - pch.custhelp.com Have you ever wondered if Publishers Clearing House scams are out there? 0000045668 00000 n cheap eats If theres one constant among scammers, its that theyre always coming up with new schemes, like the Google Voice verification scam. They said that that is a certified prize that is approved by Trade Commission and that prize patrol has been suspended due to COVID-19. But please keep in mind these valuable tips and warning signs to help you know the difference between a legitimate sweepstakes offer and a scam. The .gov means its official. All they had to do was open a new bank account and send a photocopy of the account holders ID. Getting calls that I won PCH SWEEPS. So, I kept ordering and doing everything they asked me to as I thought it would make sure One red flag is that the letters that scammers send to people are never addressed to them with their real names. 876-293-9912. It is a toll free telephone number, but I am afraid to check if the number is legit. Moreover, they will collect your personal data so they can do identity theft (here is how to delete your private data from the Internet). Report PCH imposters or check to see if you have actually won at 800-392-4190. You do not have access to www.thepennyhoarder.com. Publishers Clearing House does occasionally use email to notify winners of smaller prizes. 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 They need me to go to website and enter my activation code in the letter by deadline for the October 31st prize events. The Publishers Clearing House only uses their Prize Patrol to notify major award winners. 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. WE PAID A TOTAL OF $ 47,400.00 AND HE WAS ASKING FOR $90,000.00 WHICH WE DID NOT HAVE. The FTC and its law enforcement partners announced actions against several income scams that conned people out of hundreds of millions of dollars by falsely telling them they could make a lot of money. And anyone who says, Youve won. I just gave a gift card to someone at that is a scam - The man that just called me David Anderson code #145dw Publishers Clearinf House-Check the vanilla gift card #4116 1006 16858774 in the amount of $100.00. I have won more prizes (fake) than I can count. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); An example of the Publishers Clearing House scam was reported by a victim as follows: I got a letter from the Publishers Clearing House saying that I am eligible for a prize. They show up at your door. 0000020331 00000 n This is because they know bank personnel will see the scam for what it is. Does PCH Contact Major Prize Winners in Advance? - PCH Blog So they keep doing it. These should be red flags for any kind of prize claim! This is nothing but a scam that has fooled many innocent people. Looking for alternatives for your holiday shopping? but they wanted all the numbers on back, i blocked the lat 4 numb. 0000045558 00000 n healthcare Publishers Clearing House 101 Winners Circle Jericho, NY 11753 To call us, please call us at 1-800-566-4724. When will I receive my PCH order/how do I track my package? Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Some one name Paul is using it.I cant go to the sweepstakes because of this. Call type: Website: Recent suspicious numbers. transportation Who wouldnt love to be that winner you see on TV holding a great big sweepstakes check? Never heard back from Mr. Anderson. to find information on a They took everything. Where can I view a recent PCH Winners list? I get a call from 3234730677. Note: The title was updated on April 25, 2018 to make clear that this blog post addresses scammers impersonating Publishers Clearing House. Learn about getting and using credit, borrowing money, and managing debt. So, here it is December 18th and I got up early and got prepared for them to be here at 9AM and now it is 11AM and one has come. Good luck, PC H customers, and players!.! (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes Scam is back. 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. However, while the company itself is legitimate, scam artists are using its name and brand recognition to trick people into giving up money and personal data., The Publishers Clearing House scam is a type of sweepstakes scam in which fraudsters impersonate company representatives and claim youve won a prize.. Phone Call Reports - Page 4 Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. Customer Service is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 11 PM & Saturday 8:30 AM to 5 PM Eastern Time Was this answer helpful? What kind of prizes are offered by the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes? Identity thieves are almost only ever after one thing: your money. The caller ID number was 202.856.7945 although the caller likely spoofed that number. After 27 years in law enforcement and state Veterans Affairs agencies, I found myself working from home and looking for dollar-stretching resources. 0000034280 00000 n _6zJe_9tSYVfVYbArnfJ#5QM'l)_'$Qr7=WVY-K,epbNHI9`p'T,)qPG;rps=u{p >$A+(h ti#e6.#z.gbN0%b-MH;h1ki,%4!h%}-(B%*!o]U Here are the best ways to spot a scam this year. Ive received this stuff for years and was stupid back In those days I would get so excited that I won something but it was actually nothing I would cry a lot cause I could really use the money I supposed have won thank you for listening. We wont post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups. A year ago last March I made a complaint with the FTC about NPD Group (VIP Voice Surveys). Results based on a 2022 mystery shopper consumer study conducted by ath Power Consulting. She called me and while she kept them on the phone, I called the cops and got in touch with the right person to see if it was a scam. jobs Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. It is the most common type of fraud going around telling people that they have won a large sum of money at the lottery. Finally, out of disgust I answered and was told that I had won $2.5 million and a Mercedes Benz. 0000030173 00000 n I have a recording of the voicemail. benefits Contact Us - PCH Information Center Blocked him yet he used another number to call. Check out Publishers Clearing Houses fraud protection page. Period. The prizes offered by the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes range from $1 Amazon gift cards to $10 million. 0000001529 00000 n I sent the form back again. 0000020777 00000 n We wont post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. As a fan and follower of PCH, I bet you know all about the different ways to get in to WIN. Publishers Clearing House's headquarters are located on the east coast, in the state of New York. 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. Do NOT give them any personal information! They never award prizes over the phone, on social media, in email, or through the mail. How to avoid Publishers Clearing House scams, How to contact the Publishers Clearing House directly. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is! PDF Protect yourself against scammers posing as PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE Winners | PCH.com These checks are not legitimate and just a part of the fraud. In one case, a couple in Tennessee reported being offered $1.5 million and a brand-new Mercedes convertible [*]. They may even impersonate PCH executives like Deborah Holland., Related: The Worst Social Media Scams of 2023 (and How To Avoid Them) , Everyone would love to pick up the phone and hear that theyve won millions of dollars. Now pay us, is always scammer. When you enter into a contest like the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes, they will never ask you to submit information like your bank account number, license number, or address. Immediately, alarm bells went on in my head. 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." He made an appointment to come to my home to award PCH Check to me on January 18, 2021 at 1:00 PM. i told them to stop by with the $100,000.00 and they can have tthe last 4 numb.s. Still think its real? How are PCH winners notified? In order to keep yourself away from the public Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes scam on Facebook, you should learn how to avoid and recognize fake Facebook pages. Never deposit a check and send back money, even if the funds appear in your account. How do I contact Publishers Clearing House? For PCHgames, please click here. Hi friends and fans! CLICK, I hung up. Well cover ways to avoid falling for Publishers Clearing House scams! Prizes are awarded within eight weeks of final winner selection. Looking for alternatives for your holiday shopping? His name was James Carter who supposedly worked for PCH & I had won $1,550,000 with a brand new white Mercedes Benz. Major prize winners are never contacted in advance. I'm tired of the scammers convincing me that I've been approved for a loan and that Im just verifying my address and needing my bank account and routing numbers to make a direct deposit for the amount of the loan, etc.. than they automatically send you to another "LENDING"company, and that one takes all the same info and sends u to another "LENDER ".. and you never to get directed to a real "LOAN" company and for every Lender you fill out all your personal information, your also giving permission for telemarketers to continually call and text your phone and advertisers sending u mail.theres supposed to be a law against false advertising Publishers ClearingHouse has long been tapped as scammers from years back. You may cancel your membership online and request a refund within 60 days of your initial purchase date of an eligible Aura membership purchase by calling us at 1-855-712-0021. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. I only wish I could have been contacted by PCH after emailing them my concerns. Well, now there's a prize scam. Heres what you need to know about these calls. If you have received a PCH phone call, email, or letter you are not one of the winners. But thats not the only way scammers get your money with this scam. The user later appeared to confirm getting out of the situation ok. This scam starts with a phone call informing you that youve won a cash prize, a new car, or a vacation. The caller also told me not to tell Walgreens why I was buying it and to tell them it was for personal use.
