Publishers Clearing House scams: calls and fake prize notices
A message using Publishers Clearing House’s name does not establish that it came from PCH. Its official scam-prevention page says the company will not call or ask for payment to enter or claim a prize. Stop before responding to a payment demand, verify independently, and use the FTC reporting route that PCH identifies.
By Extra Profit Editorial Team
Last reviewed
Start with what PCH itself says
PCH states: “The real PCH will never call you or ask you to pay money to enter or claim a prize.” Its own scam page describes impersonation through phone calls, email, letters, social messages, and other channels. It states that a purchase or fee is not required to enter or win and directs consumers to the FTC to report scams. These are the company statements this page relies on. It does not infer the current status of any particular promotion from an old news article or social post. PCH scam prevention
A caller can know a real company name and still be an impersonator. The useful question is not whether the company exists, but whether this particular contact and demand match its official instructions. A logo, copied photograph, or caller ID does not independently establish that connection.
Separate the message from the verification channel
Do not use the caller’s own callback number as your only check. Open the official site yourself and compare the claim with its guidance. Save the message without continuing the conversation. If someone says your opportunity disappears unless you act immediately, that urgency is a reason to pause rather than to bypass verification. FTC prize-scam guidance
| What the message asks you to do | Safer next step |
|---|---|
| Pay a release, handling, insurance, or supposed tax fee | Stop and compare the demand with PCH’s no-fee guidance |
| Send gift card numbers or cryptocurrency | Do not transmit the payment details; preserve the request as evidence |
| Deposit a check and send part of the amount elsewhere | Contact your bank before moving money; availability is not proof the check is genuine |
| Provide a password, sign-in code, or account access | Do not disclose it; secure the affected account if you already did |
| Keep the contact secret from family or your bank | Ask an independent trusted person to review the message |
The FTC documents advance-payment demands and fake-check arrangements in its prize-scam guidance. The table is a decision aid based on that guidance, not a list of facts about a particular caller. FTC source
A worked message check
Suppose an unsolicited caller uses PCH’s name and says you must provide gift card codes before a prize can be released. You do not need to determine whether every detail of the story is invented before deciding what to do. The payment condition conflicts with PCH’s published no-fee position, and the requested payment method matches the FTC’s warning pattern. Do not send the codes. Save what the caller requested and use an independent reporting route. This is an illustrative scenario, not a quotation from a real victim. PCH; FTC
Report through the route appropriate to the harm
| Situation | Official destination or action |
|---|---|
| An impersonated PCH prize contact | PCH currently directs reports to ReportFraud.ftc.gov |
| Money has already been paid | Contact the relevant bank, card issuer, payment service, or transfer provider promptly; the FTC explains why early action matters |
| The promotion arrived through the mail | Use the Postal Inspection Service reporting route linked from the FTC guidance |
| Personal information was misused | Follow the recovery guidance at IdentityTheft.gov linked by the FTC |
When you report, retain the sender or callback details, the original message, requested payment method, relevant transaction records, and a short timeline. Do not put passwords, complete account numbers, or identity documents into a public complaint. Report only what you observed; an uncertain name or number can be identified as uncertain.
Help a relative without taking over
Offer to check a message together before money moves. A useful household rule is to pause any unexpected prize demand until it has been reviewed through an independent source. If someone already paid, concentrate on contacting the payment provider and preserving evidence rather than on blame. The goal is to make the next request easier to question. FTC guidance on warning others and responding to prize scams
This page does not give a verdict on every message using PCH’s name or make claims about the company’s finances. It explains the official no-fee position and a verification workflow you can apply without trusting the person who contacted you.
Should I call the number supplied in the prize message?
Do not rely on it as independent verification. Start from an official site you open yourself, and preserve the original message for your report.
What if a check appears available in my account?
The FTC warns that a fake check can appear available before the bank discovers the problem. Contact the bank before forwarding money or treating availability as proof of a real prize.