Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH

Scammers are using email messages, telephone calls, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social networking websites to contact their potential victims and attempt to trick them into believing they are Publishers Clearing House winners. Whatever method they use to contact their potential victims, the scammers' main goal is to deceive their potential victims into thinking they are the real Publishers Clearing House, but they are NOT! The real Publishers Clearing House would NEVER ask their winners for money or personal information for any reason to claim sweepstakes prize awards.

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Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH

A Publishers Clearing House Scam

Publishers Clearing House presents

PCH Search &Win

Dear E-mail User

This is to inform you that you have won prize money of One Million United States Dollars ($1,000,000.00 USD) for the month of June 2016 Lottery promotion which is organized by PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE In conjunction with the MICROSOFT WINDOWS.

This promotion was set-up to encourage the active users of the Internet Microsoft Windows. Hence we do believe with your winnings prize it will give you and many other people the opportunity to get their lives to a stage where they had always wanted. Note that we collect all the email addresses of the people that are active online, among the millions that subscribed to Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo/Aol and various Microsoft window users, we only select FOUR people every year as our winners beneficiaries email addresses were selected randomly from over 100,000 internet websites or a shop's cash invoice around your area in which you might have purchased something from.

We congratulate you for being one of the FOUR persons selected you are to contact the events manager for claim these are your identification Numbers

Winnings Number: 7-1-4-8-7-3 Ticket Number: FL 654/29/75

However you will have to fill and submit the below information to the events manager contact email:

infvv@outlook.com

1. Full Name
2. House Address
3. Occupation
4. Sex
5. Age
6. Direct Phone Number
7. State
8. Country
9. Email
10. Have You Won Before? (Yes/NO)

Contact Publishers Remittance Department Name Mr. Ken Moore E-mail:

infvv@outlook.com

Yours Sincerely,

Publishers Service Terms

All Right Reserved Terms of Service-Guideline

Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is a direct marketing company that markets merchandise and magazine subscriptions with sweepstakes, prize-based game, search, and lottery websites.

Publishers Clearing House (PCH) does not ask for bank account or other financial information. There is no processing fee, tax or special handling charge required to win. The Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes prizes are delivered free of charge to the winners.

How to Determine if you are being Scammed

If you are contacted by someone claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House, or claiming to be a PCH employee and 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 him/her as payment for any reason to claim a Sweepstakes prize, it is a scam.

The scammers’ preferred method of sending money is through Western Union, MoneyGram, Green Dot MoneyPak card. This is because those methods of sending money make it virtually impossible for the victims to get back their money.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 178)

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August 2, 2023 at 2:44 PM by
Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH
an anonymous user from: Granbury, Texas, United States

Bill c Stevenson owe me money: 800.00

Delete

December 2, 2022 at 12:49 PM by
Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH
an anonymous user from: Downtown Albuquerque, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

I got a phone call Wed. and Thurs. of this week from a woman who claimed to be Deborah Holland of PCH stating I had won $2.5 million dollars, a Mercedes Benz, and $7,000 a week for life. She sounds like a Black woman with a heavy accent, talks fairly fast and kept telling me not to tell anyone that I'd won so I wouldn't be in jeopardy of any harm. She said to access the e-m she that was sent to me by PCH and I did, but it was not well-written so it made me suspicious. Is this a real offer from PCH or is someone trying to scam me? She didn't ask for any money but I can't help but wonder

Delete

March 14, 2020 at 9:50 PM by
Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH
an anonymous user from: St Louis, Missouri, United States

I have gotten letters, even gifts from PCH that are real that say that there have already been payouts to me in my name. The man I live with has taken over almost every Facebook account, Gmail, and Google accounts I have made in the last year. I have caught him stealing my bank cards, birth certificates, and even my ID. He changes my passwords and pin numbers to everything and does nothing but lie constantly. I have had several letters that are signed by three PCH workers that tell me I won. What should I do?

Delete

March 14, 2020 at 9:59 PM by
Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH
info

If someone contacts you claiming to be from PCH, and tells you that you've won a prize award – then asks you to send a payment or money card in order to claim the prize – STOP! You have not heard from the real PCH. IT'S A SCAM!

And, PCH does not notify its winners through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or any other social media website.

Also, if you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House and are asked to send money, pay a fee or pre-pay taxes to enter, collect or claim a sweepstakes prize, DON’T BE FOOLED: IT’S A SCAM! You have not heard from the “real” Publishers Clearing House. The call you received was most likely from a fraudulent sweepstakes scam operation. Publishers Clearing House the winning is always free.

Delete

February 20, 2019 at 8:36 PM by
Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH
an anonymous user from: Easton, Maryland, United States

I was contacted on Feb 19,2019 by phone by someone from Discovery Bay by the name of John Roger claiming I had won 2.5 million dollars and a 2019 Mercedes Benz. He did not have a foreign accent, but spoke like he had a speech disorder. He asked for my color choice between red, white and black and if I preferred to publish my winning or keep it confidential.

He gave me a verification number www890721US and asked for the name of my bank where I live.

I told him I will not divulge that. He said, ok, but I need to insure the prizes which will cost $300 and it must be wired to him.

I knew all along it must be a scam and was sure of it when he asked for money, since Publishers Clearing House does not ask for money to award a prize.

I told him not to call me again and I hung up. He tried to call me back at least 7 times (shown by my caller ID, but I did not answer it.

I also received several "unknown number calls" which were probably the same person.

I intend to report this to the FBI and National Consumer Protection website. I am 70 years old and I get unsolicited scam and sales calls several times daily.

BEWARE!

They especially love to choose people over 65 as their targets.

Delete

January 22, 2019 at 1:16 PM by
Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH
an anonymous user from: Pompano Beach, Florida, United States

I had a scam last week.

The man was Ray Brown and said he was a general manager at PCH.

He had the PCH logo on his message.

He told me that I was going to win $1.5 million dollars, plus $10,000 per week.I reported him to PCH, but I am not sure what they did with the information I supplied.

Please be cautious everyone!

Delete

October 28, 2018 at 10:12 AM by
Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH
info

The scammers are using this email address: infopch@pchcsc.net

Delete

October 20, 2018 at 10:59 PM by
Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH
an anonymous user from: San Diego, California, United States

I too received the same type letter from ms. Deborah holland, accredited fiduciary agent in july 2018. But before i got her email.

I received one from goodman, matthew <mgoodman@gilbaneco.Com telling me i won the ongoing pch grant donation prize dated of july, 2018 with pch ref # ad that the grand prize was $1,000,000.00 and to contact debh.Pch@gmail.Com with my complete name and recent address.

then she emailed me to sent info to evergreen courier@outlook.In

(i smelled a rat) especially the evergreen address @outlook.In (india)plus i never entered the pch contest.

I have gotten phone calls before from india wanting to sell me a travel package for only $99, when i asked if he was in mumbi(bombay) he replied bandaglore (it's noted as a call center for a lot of businesses and fraud schemes) and he couldn't understand why i wasn't interested he said it's only $99 and he'd charge it to my credit card and proceeded to tell me the last 4 numbers of my card.

I immediatley called my credit card co and reported it and put a watch on my card.

Why can't pch stop these thieves and robbers, especially when they pray on the elderly? what u s government agency can we report these scammers too to have legal action tak3n against them?

Can the indian govt do anything about them, or does the indian govt care?

Delete

October 4, 2018 at 10:45 AM by
Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH
info

Here is another scam:

"From: Deborah Holland <enquiries008@gmail.com<mailto:enquiries008@gmail.com>>

Date: October 4, 2018 at 8:23:32 AM CDT

Subject: Re: What did I win

Publishers Clearing House

Publishers Clearing House (PCH)

101 Winners Circle.

Jericho, NY 11753.

PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: PCH70182834

Dear Lucky Winner,

Congratulations to you for emerging one of our lucky winner of this Year Publishers Clearing House (PCH) Grant Donation Promotion which was organized in India to promote our product all over Asia. The process for claiming your winnings has been made very simple so that by the end of one week at most, you are assured of having received your prize amount of the sum of $1,000,000.00 (ONE MILLION US DOLLARS) and all the legal documents backing your winnings which will require your signature. In the light of the above mentioned, you are to contact the courier company (Evergreen Courier Service) with the contact details as stated below, they will be handling the delivery of your winning amount all the way from India to your home address.

Note: Find below the details of the courier company.

Name of Courier: Evergreen Courier Service

Contact Person: Mr. Mark Peterson

Email: customercare@evergreencourierservices.com

Direct Contact Email address:

Phone: 919112027913

Note: For the courier firm to attend to you urgently, you are strongly advice to contact them by email which is stated above, and also make sure you provide them with your complete information as directed below.

Publishers Clearing House is a direct marketing company that sells merchandise and magazine subscriptions and operates prize-based game, search and lotto websites. Its products are promoted through sweepstakes and prize award promotions.

You are to contact Evergreen Courier Service with their email address above, please oblige to follow the Evergreen Courier Service instructions so that your won amount can get to your present address on time. When contacting them, you are to include your full details as required below and the parcel identification number as your subject. Please you are advised to write down the parcel identification number and save it.

1. FULL NAME:

2. FULL DELIVERY ADDRESS:

3. AGE:

4. OCCUPATION:

5. TEL/MOBILE:

6. COUNTRY:

7. PARCEL I.D NUMBER: PCH70182834

Note: For security reason that you are to keep your winning information confidential and do not discuss with anyone until the courier company have successfully deliver your winning prize to you. You are to provide your complete names, parcel identification number and your direct phone number so that the courier company will honor your message.

Congratulations once again.

Yours Sincerely,

Ms. Deborah Holland

Accredited Fiduciary Agent."

Delete

August 28, 2018 at 11:09 AM by
Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH
an anonymous user from: Needham, Massachusetts, United States

This is a message that they sent to me.

"Congratulation on winning 850,000.00 DOLLARS in our 2018 Pch Lottery.

Kindly send your contacts to

cscpchlotoclaim@usa.com

*Given Names:

*Address:

*Telephone:

*Gender:

...

© Copyright 2018 Publishers Clearing House. All Rights Reserved"

Delete

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

Publishers Clearing House Scam - PCH