Don‘t Fall for Publishers Clearing House Scams: Here‘s How to Protect Yourself

Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is known for its flashy commercials showing ecstatic winners being surprised with oversized checks and lavish prizes. In fact, this direct marketing company has awarded over $560 million in prizes since 1967. But that fame has also made PCH a favorite cover for scammers looking to con hopeful dreamers out of their money and sensitive information.

"Scammers like to impersonate Publishers Clearing House because it‘s a trusted brand offering life-changing rewards," says Melanie McGovern, Director of Public Relations at the Better Business Bureau. "They exploit that instant recognition and excitement to get people to let their guard down."

The Growing Problem of PCH Sweepstakes Scams

Just how bad is the Publishers Clearing House scam problem? Consider these alarming statistics:

• The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received over 150,000 reports of fake prize, sweepstakes, and lottery scams in 2022, up 27% from the year prior
• Losses from these scams reached nearly $255 million in 2022, with a median loss of $1,000 per victim
• Complaints mentioning "Publishers Clearing House" specifically rose 34% between 2021 and 2022
• PCH scams disproportionately affect the elderly, with victims over 70 losing an average of $6,400 each

"These scammers are extremely persistent and manipulative," says Christopher Elliott, cyber security expert and host of the popular "Unofficial Scam Watch" podcast. "They‘ll impersonate an official-sounding PCH employee, spoof phone numbers and email addresses, send realistic dummy checks, and spin very persuasive stories to get victims on the hook. It‘s a numbers game—they know the more people they contact, the more will eventually fall for it."

What makes these scams especially insidious is how they exploit people‘s hopes and dreams for a windfall that could wipe away their financial worries. Scammers are adept at pushing psychological buttons to get victims into an emotional, irrational state.

"When someone believes they‘ve received a once-in-a-lifetime prize, it can create a kind of mania that overrides their normal judgment and skepticism," explains McGovern. "Scammers take advantage of that heightened emotional state to pressure victims into making poor decisions before they have a chance to investigate further."

How PCH Scams Have Evolved

Publishers Clearing House scams are nothing new—they‘ve been around almost as long as the sweepstakes itself. But cyber criminals have gotten much more sophisticated and tech-savvy in their techniques over the years.

"We‘ve seen PCH impersonation scams migrate from the classic bulk postal mailings to phone calls, texts, emails, social media, and even realistic-looking websites," says Elliott. "Scammers quickly jump on whatever the latest communication channels and online platforms people are using."

Some recent developments have made scams even harder to spot, such as:

• Robocalling technology that allows scammers to blast out thousands of fake PCH prize notification calls cheaply and anonymously

• "Spoofing" tools that can make a scam call or text appear to come from PCH‘s real phone numbers

• Advanced graphics software to create official-looking (but phony) "claim forms" and "title deeds" for supposed prizes

• Highly targeted social media messages from fake accounts designed to look like official Publishers Clearing House pages

"The level of personalization and detail in these scams is starting to get eerie," warns Elliott. "In some cases, the scammers may even have information about the victim‘s previous PCH activity to bolster their story, possibly obtained through hacks or data breaches."

Inside a Publishers Clearing House Scam: Victims Speak Out

To get an inside look at how PCH scams unfold, we spoke with several real-life victims about their experiences:

"I got a phone call saying I had won $2.5 million from Publishers Clearing House. The woman sounded so professional and had an answer for all my questions. She told me to keep it confidential until the prize patrol came to my house for the big reveal. But first, I needed to pay $250 in ‘taxes‘ via gift cards to claim the money. I went out and bought the gift cards, gave her the numbers over the phone, and never heard from her again. I feel so stupid and ashamed for falling for it." -John D., 68, retired teacher

"An email appeared in my inbox with what looked like an official Publishers Clearing House logo saying I had won a $100,000 second place prize. When I called the number in the email to claim it, they asked for my bank info so they could transfer the funds. Luckily I got suspicious and contacted PCH through their website, and they confirmed it was a scam. I hate to think what would have happened if I had given out my account information." -Maureen S., 72, part-time receptionist

"I received a giant check in the mail for $150,000 with the Publishers Clearing House name and logo on it. There were instructions to mobile deposit it in my bank immediately and then wire half the money to a ‘tax preparer‘ to cover the taxes. I assumed it was legit since it was a physical check. But my bank thankfully suspected it was fraudulent before releasing the funds. The scammer had almost tricked me into sending them $75,000 of my own money." -Jamal M., 59, parking attendant

Red Flags of PCH Scams

So how can you avoid ending up a victim of a Publishers Clearing House scam? These are the biggest warning signs to watch out for, according to cyber security and fraud experts:

1. Any notification that you‘ve won a major PCH prize that does NOT involve the Prize Patrol showing up at your door unannounced with cameras rolling. The real PCH never calls, emails, or mails winners in advance.

2. Requests for you to pay taxes, fees, or shipping charges to claim your prize. Actual PCH winners never have to pay anything upfront.

3. Messages riddled with typos, strange formatting, out-of-place logos, or other unprofessional errors. Scammers often operate outside the U.S. and their messages can get lost in translation.

4. Pressure to make a snap decision and act immediately. Legitimate contests give you time to verify and claim prizes through appropriate channels.

5. Winning notices that arrive by bulk rate mail. Genuine PCH mailers have a return address of Port Washington, NY, and are marked first class.

6. Requests to send money by gift card, prepaid debit card, or money transfer. These methods are untraceable and a dead giveaway for a scam.

7. Any notification received on a Friday evening or holiday. Some scammers time their messages for when banks and PCH‘s offices are closed and victims can‘t easily investigate.

"Be extremely wary of any winning notification that comes out of the blue," advises McGovern. "Scammers are skilled at faking joy and urgency to get you to make an impulsive decision before you realize you‘ve been conned. Slow down, talk to someone you trust, and always verify with PCH directly before doing anything."

How to Check If You‘re Really a PCH Winner

The only surefire way to know if you‘ve legitimately won a Publishers Clearing House prize is to look for your name on their official winners list at pch.com. Click the "Winners" link at the bottom of the homepage to see headshots and hometown information for all SuperPrize and "Forever" prize winners.

You can also search for video footage of PCH Prize Patrol visits on their verified YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts. Just keep in mind that Publishers Clearing House does not notify winners privately via social media messages—only in person with the cameras rolling.

"If someone tells you that you‘ve won a prize from Publishers Clearing House and your name isn‘t on the winners list, you‘re being scammed," says Elliott. "It‘s that simple. Don‘t overthink it or engage further—just cut off contact."

What to Do If You‘ve Been Targeted

If you suspect a Publishers Clearing House scam, here‘s how to handle it and limit the potential damage:

1. Immediately stop all communication with the scammer. Don‘t reply to their messages or send them anything.

2. Contact Publishers Clearing House‘s scam hotline at 1-800-392-4190 to verify if the prize is legitimate.

3. Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state Attorney General‘s office.

4. Alert your bank and credit card companies if you provided any account numbers or sent money. They may be able to stop payments or refund fraudulent charges.

5. Place a fraud alert or freeze on your credit reports if your Social Security Number was compromised.

6. Change login passwords for any accounts that could be at risk and enable two-factor authentication where available.

"If you‘re a scam victim, don‘t beat yourself up," says McGovern. "These criminals are professionals and anyone can be fooled under the right circumstances. What‘s important is that you cut your losses, warn others, and learn to spot the red flags for next time."

Stay One Step Ahead of the Scammers

As scammers get trickier, defenders have to continually innovate to keep up. Publishers Clearing House has a dedicated team that monitors the latest scam trends and coordinates with law enforcement.

"We use a combination of automated detection tools and human review to identify and shut down as many scams invoking our name as possible," says Margaret Crossan, PCH Vice President of Consumer & Legal Affairs. "But realistically, it‘s impossible to police every corner of the internet, phone networks, and postal mail. Consumer education is really the first line of defense."

PCH maintains an extensive Scam Protection Center on its website with sample scam communications, video tips, and a list of the "Top 4 PCH Prize Claim Gotchas" that every consumer should commit to memory:

1. No SuperPrize winner is EVER notified by phone, email, social media, or bulk mail.

2. No PCH representative will EVER personally call to ask for money to claim a prize.

3. NEVER accept a friend request or private message from someone claiming to be from PCH.

4. NEVER send money or pay a fee to claim a prize award. Not now, not ever!

"If we all make a commitment to learning the common signs of a scam and spreading the word to family and friends, these fraudsters will have a much harder time finding victims," says Crossan.

So the next time you receive a suspicious message claiming you‘ve hit the Publishers Clearing House jackpot, take a breath and think before you act. A little bit of caution and research can keep you from making a devastating mistake. Don‘t let one of the happiest moments of your life turn into one of the worst.

Tips for Identifying & Avoiding Publishers Clearing House Scams

• Be extremely skeptical of any prize notification that doesn‘t involve an in-person visit from the PCH Prize Patrol.

• Never send money for "fees" or "taxes" to claim a prize. PCH winners never pay anything upfront.

• Don‘t trust your caller ID, as scammers can "spoof" real PCH phone numbers.

• Never give out sensitive information like bank accounts or Social Security numbers to someone claiming to be from PCH.

• Check the official PCH "Winners" page at pch.com to verify major prize winners. If you‘re not listed, it‘s a scam.

• Avoid clicking links in suspicious emails or texts claiming to be from PCH. Go directly to pch.com instead.

• Don‘t accept social media friend requests or private messages from anyone claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House.

• If you suspect a scam, report it and warn others. Don‘t stay silent out of embarrassment.

• Trust your gut. If a prize seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.