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You'll also need to be extra cautious in the future because scammers consider people who have already been scammed to be easy prey, and there's a good chance that you will be targeted again. As was mentioned a moment ago, Publishers Clearing House doesn’t just deal in magazine subscriptions but has expanded into a plethora of different product categories for our fans to enjoy. PCH provides customers with assistance and can answer any sweepstakes questions you may have. If you wish to report a scam contact to us, you may do so by clicking here to fill out and complete a scam incident report.
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Police warn of scam calls claiming to be from Publisher's Clearing House or Mega Millions - WECT
Police warn of scam calls claiming to be from Publisher's Clearing House or Mega Millions.
Posted: Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
However, you may be notified of smaller prize wins by mail or email, so continue to read the other signs of a legitimate PCH win. Most folks are familiar with PCH because of our legendary Prize Patrol, who deliver giant (in both size and dollar amount) checks, champagne, and balloons to awestruck winners, all while the cameras are rolling. In the summer of 2020 Marie Osmond became a spokesperson for Publishers Clearing House with television and online advertisements as well as direct-to-home mailings.In January 2021, Steve Harvey made his debut in television commercials as a spokesperson for PCH.
Products
Instead, the complaint charges, consumers enter an arduous journey through pages of advertisements and sales pitches before they can actually enter the sweepstakes. The advertisements allegedly use tricky wording that conflates ordering and entering to lead consumers to believe they must make a purchase to enter, or that purchasing will increase their chances of winning a sweepstakes, neither of which is true. The FTC charges that PCH used dark patterns—manipulative phrasing and website design—to convince consumers that they needed to buy a product of some kind to enter the company’s sweepstakes or increase their chances of winning. To give you a quick overview of Publishers Clearing House and our history, the company was founded in 1953 by the Mertz family as a direct marketing magazine subscription organization. While this is still true of Publishers Clearing House today, over the years, the company has grown into a world-famous brand that offers a multitude of products, contests, and entertainment services.
Tip 2: Beware of Fake Check Scams
The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers. The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.
Playing it Safe: Explore the FTC's Top Video Game Cases
Publishers Clearing House was founded in 1953 by Harold and LuEsther Mertz and their daughter, Joyce Mertz-Gilmore. From their garage, mailings were created offering consumers an unprecedented array of discounted magazine subscription offers. In 1967 the company launched a sweepstakes to draw attention to its magazine deals and a chance to win money has been a part of the PCH promotional mix ever since. In 1999 PCH launched pch.com, and in recent years, a family of online free-to-play, chance-to-win properties and mobile apps have been developed in support of the brand identity that “It's All About Winning” at Publishers Clearing House. If you receive an e-mail notifying you that you have won a major sweepstakes prize, but are asked to provide personal financial information, or send money — STOP -– you have most likely been contacted by a fraudulent sweepstakes scam operator. At Publishers Clearing House we do not notify major prize winners by e-mail.
Our 100% authenticated and addressable audience powers future-proofed marketing solutions that help brands, agencies, and tech partners accurately identify and interact with qualified users. Sources of revenue for the company are digital advertising, search advertising and the sale of merchandise and magazines offered as bill-me later free credit, with 100% satisfaction guaranteed. The company has awarded over $593 Million in prizes and has evolved to greatly expand its offerings to include many ways to win online and through social media and mobile access. Do NOT use the telephone numbers or email addresses included in your win notice when you do this step — scammers often include fake contact information to trick their victims. For example, if you call a number in your win notice, you might reach the scammer, not the legitimate PCH organization. Scammers are adept at making people believe that they are affiliated with Publishers Clearing House when they're not.
Current PCH Sweepstakes
Logos can be copied, names of legitimate PCH employees can be found on Google, signatures can be forged... According to the complaint, the deception starts from the company’s homepage, where consumers complete an “Official Entry Form” with a large button with phrasing like “WIN IT! PCH Media is built upon an iconic sweepstakes and entertainment brand with a 70+ year history of engaging and activating consumers.
How To Enter Our Sweepstakes
If you want to go really big, you can enter to win $1.25 million dollars for your dream home. Remember, every day and every place you play with PCH means MORE WAYS TO WIN, so don’t miss out on a single opportunity — enter PCH sweepstakes today. You can also follow these steps to report a scam directly to Publishers Clearing House. For more tips on how to avoid Publishers Clearing House scams, visit the Contest Integrity section of the PCH website, PCH.com.
Consumer Advice
Publishers Clearing House works diligently to fight scams, both by working with law enforcement officials and through public education. Before you respond to any win notice, especially those from big companies like PCH, take some steps to verify your prize wins. So if you receive notification of a big prize by any method other than an in-person award, you know you're being scammed. If anyone tells you you've won a million bucks from PCH other than the Prize Patrol, you know you can ignore the message. The point is that Publishers Clearing House is always running an array of different sweepstakes that you can win!
But remember, you have to be in it to win it, so check out all of our sweepstakes today. Then, in 1985, our company began to expand its suite of product offerings into a diverse set of categories including collectibles, household appliances, entertainment devices and so much more. This decision has helped to shape Publishers Clearing House into what it is today. We update our Winners Circle regularly; more and more winners are added every day! You don't have to give Publishers Clearing House your address, PCH account number, bank account number, driver's license number, or any other confidential information when you enter.
If you receive an email, phone call, email or letter from Publishers Clearing House saying that you're a big winner, it's easy to get so excited that you do or agree to things that make you vulnerable to money and identity theft. That's why it's important to be able to tell the difference between a legitimate prize win and a sweepstakes scam. At PCH we include a Sweepstakes Facts insert in every promotional offer we send. They are there to provide you with all the information you need to play safely!
Don’t fall for ‘lookalike’ mailings that try to mislead consumers by imitating legitimate sweepstakes. If you are asked to provide your credit card number or provide your financial bank account information in order to claim a sweepstakes prize — STOP. Fraudulent scam artists often request this information and then go on a spending spree with your credit card; or wipe out your bank account. PCH has come to be known as the sweepstakes company whose famous Prize Patrol surprises winners on their doorsteps with oversized checks in amounts anywhere from $1,000 to Multi-Millions while TV cameras are rolling.
If you receive a telephone call from someone claiming you have won a sweepstakes prize and are asked to send money — STOP — you have not heard from a legitimate sweepstakes company. If you receive a check claiming to be for a legitimate sweepstakes prize and are asked to cash it and wire or send a portion back — STOP — you are the victim of a fraudulent contact. Consumers should always remember that at Publishers Clearing House no payment or fee is ever necessary to enter or claim a prize. Our continued success in today's new digital publishing environment is built on PCH's unique, free-to-play, chance-to-win propositions. Data and analytics have always been at the core of the PCH business strategy to optimize relevant engagement through personalized offers based on first-party relationships. We continue to evolve as a multi-channel media company that combines digital entertainment and direct-to-consumer marketing and commerce, creating an attractive destination for consumers, marketers, and retailers alike.
These memorable, real-life reactions of stunned winners have entertained audiences all across America. Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes are legit, but not every win notification from them is. Many scammers misuse the PCH name, pretending to come from the company when they really come from someone hoping to steal your money or your identity. Some of those scams are sophisticated enough to make it difficult to tell if you've really won or not. Big-name sweepstakes sponsors like PCH are a prime target for scammers, who style win notifications to match the branding of the company they're impersonating. When PCH fans find and follow the page, the scammers message them to tell them they've won a prize — and ask for money before they can claim their "winnings." Victims hand over cash but never see a prize.
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