Lottery 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.
A Sample of a PCH Search and Win Email Scams
From: pchwins@usa.com [mailto:pchwins@usa.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2019 2:32 PM
Subject: Sweepstakes Winning !!!
!!! CONGRATULATIONS !!!
09 / 01 / 2019
Attention: Jackie Coulson
It was recorded that you are Canadian but your winnings will be delivered to your destination safely. You are urged to note that it will be a safe and reliable delivery to you.
Kindly, contact the Internal Revenue Service for your Check Insurance Certificate immediately without any form of delay. Thank You
Sincerely,
Dave Sayer
Consumer Affairs Division Dir.
Publishers Clearing House
PRIVACY NOTICE
At Tauck, we take security and privacy very seriously and are firmly committed to protecting the personal information of our guests and employees as well as company confidential information. This e-mail message, including any attachments, may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law and is intended only for the addressed recipient and may not be forwarded without the express consent of the sender. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, kindly delete it and let us know that you received it in error.
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.