Terry Ambrose

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Scam Talk – Publishers Clearing House and the PCH scam

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Ed McMahon might have passed on, but Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is still hitting the streets and giving away money. That’s right, a new version of the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes is alive and well…and it’s not a scam. Unless, of course, it is.

The catch

I still recall seeing Ed McMahon on TV going to a house with a camera crew and ‘surprising’ the resident with a check for a million dollars. These days, the contest has moved from a lump-sum payout to an annuity of $5,000 a week for life. Actually, with the current contest it’s $7,000 a week for life, but who’s going to quibble over a couple of grand a week? Right?

Here’s the catch. Scammers are using a Publishers Clearing House or PCH scam via both phone and email. Victims have reported being told they’ve won prizes like the current $5,000 a week payout, a check for $2.5 million cash, and/or a car. The perpetrator may ask for payment via Western Union or a Walmart money order to cover the ‘taxes’ on the prize. In other cases, they merely ask for bank account information or a social security number to enable them to send the prizes.

The tip

The PCH scam appears to be most effective with senior citizens and is likely receiving a big boost because the real PCH will televise their next big payout on April 26th on NBC. In any case, don’t be fooled. Publishers Clearing House never calls to tell you you’ve won. They send notifications via registered mail, and they don’t ask for money to cover ‘taxes.’

About Terry

I started out as a skip tracer. Just in case you don’t know, that’s the guy who finds the people who don’t want to be found. It was the little things—getting paid to lie—that made skip tracing the fun part of the job.

Those years of chasing deadbeats taught me many valuable life lessons, such as liars come from all walks of life, and always keep your car in the garage.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AJB says

    Haven’t had another call since the first one! But I think if you win they don’t call they come to your address to find you. So will see if any one comes to my apartment 😉 Of course there have been a couple of strange numbers I have not answered, that could have been one of them! (HA)

  2. Avis says

    Thanks for the warning! So many of these are out there these days it is good to hear any tips or ideas to help us out. I wouldn’t give my information over the phone anyway!

    Take care

  3. dcguy says

    Received call on May 26 at 11:15 AM ET that I won $2.5 million prize from Publishers Clearing House. I would have to pay around $5000 in taxes to claim the prize. I would need to give my bank account number and routing transit numbers to arrange for the prize transfer. They said to call 855-236-7500 to speak to Dave Sayer and U.S. Bank. There are several indications that this is a scam. Dave Sayer is not connected to U.S. Bank. I have the contest entry information from Publishers Clearing House that I entered over several years and NONE of them mention any sweepstakes involving $2.5 million prize. Also, why have others been called with the same prize winning notification? There is supposed to be only one winner per contest. This is just an attempt to snare “greedy” people who fall for their fake story.

  4. AJB says

    Had a call last night from “ALex K” and he told me I had won $50,000. I was suspicious for more than 2 reasons, one was there was a strange accent when he was talking. Another was I heard that they would not call you if you won something. So I told this “guy” to call me tomorrow (which is today) and this time I will catch the number on my caller ID! I wonder what info he was looking for! Crazy world at times!
    AJB

    • Terry says

      Thanks for commenting. That’s definitely a scam. The number he’s calling from is probably spoofed, meaning it’s not real. Also, your best alternative is to not answer when someone calls from a number you don’t know or hang up immediately when they start these types of shenanigans. As strange as it sounds, many of these callers are professionally trained in customer service and know how to worm their way into your confidence. Trust me, engaging with them is a mistake.

  5. Leonard I Vernon says

    Jerk just called from Jamaica! He hung up when I asked how it was down there. From PCH…..right!

  6. Integrity Plumbing Solutions -- Matt Donatell says

    04/02/2020
    “Dave” called and said I won 2.5million needed my bank account & S.S for processing. Btw phone number came up as publishers clearing house 855-236-7500

  7. Justin says

    I don’t typically comment on posts, but as a long time reader I thought I’d drop in and
    wish you all the best during these troubling times.

    From all of us at Royal CBD, I hope you stay well with the COVID19 pandemic
    progressing at an alarming rate.

    Justin Hamilton
    Royal CBD

  8. Dale Levin says

    Caller said his name was David Washington. Proze was 3.5 million and two cars. Said I needed to purchase a Walmart tax registration card for $295.00. I hung up.

  9. allan litle says

    we were scammed out of 800.00 my michel washington and david richards last reported he worked for pch construction also listed on face book. in anihiem california. please help stop this guy and put him in jail thank you

  10. Gladys King says

    I received a call today from a guy with a foreign accent, saying he was calling from PCH and that he was Dave Sayer. He proceeded to tell me that I had won $1.5 million dollars and a
    white Mercedes. I receive calls all time from scammers so I knew right away from the accent
    that this was a scam. He told me that someone would be by my house today with prize money, but first I had to register with him and pay tax money of $925.00. I told him I knew it was a scam and that PCH does not call winners. He kept insisting giving me an address in NY and phone # of 516 399-1211 to call. I then hung up and he called right back with same story.

  11. Kevin Monahan says

    Terry,
    I was informed by a customer that he saw my name on the PCH winners list. He told me that he, personally, won 50k. He gave me a contact for a man called JOHN Terry ( the agent ) who tells me I have won and started to get me to fill in forms with information that included address and monthly income. It does not feel right. What do you think ?

    • Terry says

      Personally, I think you’re being scammed. Go to the PCH.com website and get the contact information. Verify independently before you give away your personal information.

    • Alex says

      The number 1 sign the name them scammers most of the time use 2 first names like Terry Edwards or Scott Allen I guess they don’t know last names

  12. Toni Williams says

    Why are there so many steps after I already entered the lottery! Then forced to make a purchase to continue processing ur lottery entries

    • Terry says

      It sounds to me like you’re in the middle of a scam. If you’re every being forced to buy something or send personal/financial information, that’s not legitimate.

  13. Kenny Owens says

    Last Thursday my mother received a call from “PCH” telling her that she had won $500,000. They were to delivery it yesterday between 9:00 and 11:00 AM. When she told me this on Saturday I knew that it was a scam. Of course they didn’t come to her home yesterday.

    While she didn’t give any account numbers or SSN numbers, I’m still concerned about what risk this presents to her and my father. She did give them her name, age, address, marital status, and denied having credit cards or investment accounts. In addition, they asked if she plan to buy a new car (she is blind).

    I assume that the callers have plans to take advantage of an elderly couple. What should I do to protect my parents?

    • Terry says

      Because your mother didn’t really give them much other than what they may have already had, there’s probably little chance of there being any danger from that particular phone call. The bigger issue is making sure your mother understands that she should hang up immediately whenever she receives this type of call. Unfortunately, as we get older, we become more likely to slip up and give away information we shouldn’t. Probably the best thing you can do is to regularly reinforce the message that she shouldn’t answer calls if she doesn’t recognize the number. If she doesn’t have CallerID, try to train her to hang up if she doesn’t know the caller.

  14. Dawn Eckhardt says

    I just received a phone call with caller ID Werlie Hill, 862-229-9977. The lady said I won $500,000, just have to show driver’s license ID when check will be delivered in person in two days between 9-11 AM. I think this is a scam. She also said the check must be cashed within 48 hours, another suspicious thought. Your thoughts?

  15. darlene Johnson says

    Hi I keep getting Twitter messages to go purchase a itune card then I got a couple of phone calls and the man gave me a Albwertsons and TO GO Collect my winnings at the bank I want to be left alone.WHY DO THEY SCAM PEOPLE LIKE THIS THANKS

    • Terry says

      All of these calls and Twitter messages are a scam. In answer to your question about why they do it—because it works. Enough people fall for these scams to make them profitable. Sad, but true.