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Don't Fall Victim to a Publisher's Clearing House Scam

Here are six tips to help you spot a Publisher’s Clearing House scam.

1. PCH does not email or call its big winners

If you receive an email, a telephone call, or a bulk mail letter stating that you’ve won a big prize from PCH, it’s a scam. According to the PCH website: “All PCH prizes of $500 or greater are awarded by either certified or express letter or in person by our famous Prize Patrol at our option.” So, you know that if you receive a prize notification by any other method than certified mail or an in-person award, you are being scammed.

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 Publisher’s Clearing House or any other company.

3. Don’t give out confidential information when you enter

You don’t have to give Publisher’s Clearing House your address, bank account number, drivers license number or any other confidential information when you enter. You may have to fill out an affidavit to verify eligibility of you win, but not when you first enter or when you are first notified that you are a winner. If the entry form is asking for this kind of personal information, it is a sign that you are on a “spoofed” website.

4. A check does not mean you are a winner

Scammers sometimes make it appear that you are not “really” paying for your prize by handing over a check or a gift card and asking you to send back some of the money. After all, they’re providing you the funds, right? Wrong. Those checks aren’t legitimate, and you will be left holding the bill.

5. Do your research before you respond

There are some steps that you can take to verify your prize wins. Some of them include never, ever paying money to receive a prize and using google to search for similar win notifications that have been reported to consumer notifications as scams. Before you respond to any notification, take these steps to protect yourself.

6. You can always verify your wins with PCH directly

If you have checked the steps above and you still are not sure if your win notice is legitimate, you can contact PCH directly to ask them to verify your prize. Do NOT use the telephone numbers or email addresses included in your win notice; scammers fake that information to trick their victims and have you routed right back to them.