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Is That PCH Prize Win Legit? Here's How to Tell.
If you receive an email, phone call, email or letter saying you're on the Publishers Clearing House winners list, it's easy to get so excited that you agree to things that make you vulnerable to fraud or identity theft. That's why it's important to be able to tell the difference between a legitimate prize win and a sweepstakes scam.
Winning sweepstakes often feels too good to be true—and oftentimes, it is. Big-name sweepstakes sponsors like PCH are a prime target for scammers who style win notifications to match the branding of the company they're impersonating.
Here are some common questions from people who weren't sure whether they were Publishers Clearing House winners:
- "I just received a notice in the mail from Publishers Clearing House. They're saying that I have won a sweepstakes prize. Is this real?"
- "I received a prize notification letter along with a check from Publishers Clearing House to cover expenses. Should I cash the check?"
- "Publishers Clearing House keeps calling and telling me I've won $100,000,000. They say I have to pay 1% in taxes before they release the prize. What should I do?"
Keep reading for answers about the PCH winners list.
6 Ways to Recognize and Avoid PCH Scams
Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes are legit, but not every win notification from them is. Why? Many scammers misuse the PCH name, pretending to come from the company when they really come from someone hoping to steal your money or your identity. Some of those scams are sophisticated enough to make it difficult to tell if you're really a Publishers Clearing House winner.
So how can you tell when you really win PCH sweepstakes and when you're being scammed?
Scammers are adept at making people believe they are affiliated with Publishers Clearing House when they're not. PCH is a popular target of scams because most Americans are familiar with the company, many have already entered MegaPrize giveaways, and nearly all want to believe they have really won a prize.
But a legitimate-looking win notification isn't enough of a reason to believe you're a big PCH winner.Logos can be copied, names of legitimate PCH employees can be found on Google, signatures can be forged... You need to be familiar with the real signs of a PCH prize win.
Here are six tips to help you spot PCH scams:
1. PCH Doesn't Email or Call Its Big Winners
If you receive an email, a telephone call, or a bulk mail letter saying you've won a big prize from PCH, it's a scam. According to the PCH website:
"At PCH winners of our major prize awards are notified live and in person by our famous Prize Patrol . Since PCH awards a steady range of prizes throughout the year, at our option we may notify winners of lesser prize amounts via an overnight express carrier such as UPS, FedEx or USPS Express Mail and occasionally via email."
You're being scammed if you receive notification of a big prize by any method other than an in-person award. If anyone says you've won a million bucks from PCH other than the Prize Patrol, you know you can ignore the message.
However, you may be notified of smaller prize wins by mail or email, so continue to read other signs of a legitimate PCH win.
2. You Never Have to Pay to Receive a Legitimate PCH Win
Scammers extort money from you in exchange for a promise of a prize that never materializes. The truth is you never, ever have to pay to receive a sweepstakes prize from Publishers Clearing House or any other company.
PCH's website says:
"We do not ask for bank account information. There is no processing fee, tax or special handling charge required to win and our prizes are delivered free of charge to the winners."
It's a scam if your prize notification asks for money to pay for taxes, to release the prize, to pay for customs, or for any other reason.
3. Don't Give Out Confidential Information When You Enter
You don't have to give Publishers Clearing House your address, PCH account number, bank account number, driver's license number, or any other confidential information when you enter.
You may have to fill out anaffidavitto verify eligibility if you win, but not when you enter. If the entry form asks for this kind of personal information, it's a sign you are on aspoofed website.
What's that? A spoofed website looks like the official PCH entry form. If you use it, however, you transmit your information directly to scammers instead. Here are some tips on how to identify fake websites.
4. A Check Doesn't Mean You've Won
A popular sweepstakes scam makes it appear that you're not really paying for your prize by handing over a check and asking you to send back some of the money. After all, they're providing the funds, right?
Wrong. Those checks aren't legitimate, and you'll be left holding the bill.
Read about check scams for more information.
5. Do Your Research Before You Respond
Before you respond to any win notice, especially those from big companies like PCH, verify your prize wins.
Here are important steps to take:
- Use Google to search for similar win notifications that have been reported to consumer organizations by victims of scams.
- Check that the person sending the notice really works for PCH.
- Make sure you actually entered the giveaway you supposedly won.
6. Verify Your Wins With Publishers Clearing House Directly
If you've gone through the steps above, but you're still not sure if your win notice is legitimate, contact PCH directly to verify your prize.
Do NOT use the telephone numbers or email addresses included in your win notice when you do this step—scammers include fake contact information to trick their victims. For example, if you call a number in your win notice, you might reach the scammer, not the legitimate PCH organization.
Instead, use publicly available ways to contact PCH.
PCH Scams on Facebook
Facebook is a fabulous tool for sweepstakes fans, but it can also be a breeding ground for scams. One of these common scams uses fake Publishers Clearing House pages to trick victims.
The scam works something like this: Scammers create a Facebook page that mimics the look of a real PCH page or a personalpage of one of PCH's employees. They'll steal company logos, the PCH color scheme, photos of Prize Patrol members, and more to make their fake page look trustworthy.
When PCH fans find and follow the page, scammers message them to tell them they've won a prize—and ask for money before they claim their "winnings." Victims hand over cashbut never see a prize.
To keep yourself safe from these scams, learn how torecognize and avoid fake Facebook pages. And remember: PCH never, ever notifies winners by Facebook messages.
Remember, too, that PCH's official pages have been verified by Facebook. Don't trust any PCH page without a verification badge.
If you want to follow Publishers Clearing House on Facebook,find their official pages by using this list from PCH's website:Facebook Scams: Friend or Faux?
Still Not Sure? Get More Tips Directly From PCH.com
Publishers Clearing House works diligently to fight scams, both by working with law enforcement officials and through public education.
For more tips on how to avoid Publishers Clearing House scams, visit the Contest Integrity section of the PCH website, PCH.com.
PCH even has a scam hotline you can call. There, you can ask if you are among Publishers Clearing House winners. Be sure to get the hotline number from the publicly available contact information and not from a win notification.
Have You Been Scammed?
If you've already sent money to a PCH scammer, contact your local police department. You'll also need to be extra cautious in the future because scammers consider people who have already been scammed to be easy prey, and there's a good chance you will be targeted again.
Follow these steps to report a scam directly to Publishers Clearing House.
