Did You Actually Win a Publishers Clearing House Prize? How to Spot a Sweepstakes Scam

While Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes is a legitimate company that awards real prizes, there's a very common scam that take advantage of your excitement. The #1 sign that it's a scam is being asked to send them money up front.

Some scammers pose as PCH reps to trick you into sending them money to cover “taxes,” “processing or handling fees,” or “shipping costs” before you can claim your cash prize. Others pretend you’re a winner to collect your personal information via phishing tactics. 

Learn how to spot a Publishers Clearing House scam, what to do if you’re a victim of a PCH scam, and how to protect your identity from future fraud.

What is the Publishers Clearing House scam?

The Publishers Clearing House (PCH) scam is a deceptive practice where fraudsters impersonate PCH representatives to deceive individuals into believing they’ve won a sweepstakes. It’s mostly aimed at older adults, but anyone can fall for these scams.

Typically, the target receives a phone call, text, or email telling them they’ve won a large amount of money. The catch is that the winner is required to send payment upfront to cover the cost of “taxes” or other shipping and handling fees. Scammers may pose as official reps and directly request that the fake winners wire money to a faux PCH account to claim their prize. Scammers may also request payment via gift cards or money transfers through apps like Venmo or PayPal.

Another example of fraud is a scammer posing as a contest promoter. They may deceptively try to sell you “better odds” at winning the prize for additional entries or other costly means to increase your chances. This proposal isn’t real, and the scammers are simply trying to buy into your high hopes of winning for their own profit.

Scams more often occur over the telephone than via mail. This is because mail fraud penalties are more severe. The penalties for mail fraud can be a fine of up to $1 million and imprisonment for up to 30 years. So while sending mail costs money, scamming someone via phone costs little. This doesn’t mean that if you receive something in the mail you’re in the clear, though. Sometimes, scammers mail fake prize checks to winners and then ask the winners to wire back some of the money.

One way to know if you’ve actually won a Publishers Clearing House big cash prize is if the sweepstakes agents make a show of it. For prizes larger than $10,000, the PCH Prize Patrol arrives at your home with a giant check, roses, and — if you’re super lucky — celebrities like Steve Harvey and Terry Bradshaw. Winners do not receive a check in the mail.

Is Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes legitimate?

Yes, Publishers Clearing House does have legitimate sweepstakes that give winners substantial prizes, such as large sums of cash, luxurious trips, cars, and more. However, scammers take advantage of these big, lavish prizes to trick fake winners for their own financial gain. This is why it’s so important to fully investigate if you’ve won and to never send money to someone claiming to be from PCH.

Publishers Clearing House was founded in 1953 by Harold and LuEsther Mertz and their daughter, Joyce Mertz-Gilmore, as a way to sell discounted magazine subscriptions. In 1967, the company launched sweepstakes to draw attention to its magazine deals, and these sweepstakes have become what the company is known for today. PCH has since awarded over $591 million in prizes. Now, the company has broadened its offerings to home items, apparel, accessories, personal care items, outdoor and gardening items, and more.

The company’s revenue comes from digital advertising, search advertising, and the sale of merchandise and magazines, according to the PCH website. Over 40% of Publishers Clearing House’s profits go to charities that support the arts, environment, medical research and services, and others.^[1]

How to avoid Publishers Clearing House scams

Before you start celebrating your big win, follow these safety tips and recommendations for verifying whether you've actually won to ensure you’re not falling victim to a Publishers Clearing House scam.

Confirm it’s Publishers Clearing House

If you get contacted by someone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, the first thing you should do before getting too excited about your prize is to confirm whether they’re legitimate or a scammer.

A good indicator is how they contact you. PCH SuperPrize is presented as a surprise show: winners are surprised in person with balloons, roses, and a giant check. They do not notify winners in advance.

If you receive a check in the mail with a “partial” prize instructing you to cash the check and then wire some of it back, do not do it. Sometimes, banks are fooled and will cash the check, making the funds available to you. Then, the forgery is discovered a few weeks later, and the check will bounce. This can trick people because they see the money hit their account and wire money back as requested.

PCH does not call people either. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from PCH, hang up. Likewise, real PCH reps do not contact you via Facebook or another social media platform to announce you’ve won.

Don’t pay to play

Real sweepstakes and lotteries don’t require you to pay to win. If someone contacts you and says they’re from PCH and asks you to wire them money for “fees” or “taxes” to get your prize, it’s 100% a scam.

It’s actually illegal for a company to tell someone to pay to enter a sweepstakes contest or that buying something increases their chances of winning. Always be on the lookout for these tactics from scammers. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely isn’t real.

Know the official PCH rules

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the U.S. government’s agency that protects consumers, has rules around sweepstakes and contests. The organization running the sweepstakes must make clear that you can’t be required to pay to enter, eligibility requirements must be spelled out, odds of winning must be disclosed, the contest rules must specify the prizes awarded, and the sweepstakes’ start and end dates must be listed.

These are the official government rules for all sweepstakes, including Publishers Clearing House.^[2][3]

Protect your personal information

Phishing scams aim to trick people into revealing personal details or sensitive financial information. Publishers Clearing House only asks for basic confirmation information if you’ve actually won a prize. This can include your full name, address, date of birth, and email address.

PCH doesn’t ask for credit card numbers, bank account numbers, social security numbers, or other private information that could be used to steal your identity or your funds.

There are many ways to prevent identity theft and services you can purchase to protect your information and keep it safe.

Be aware of fake fees

If you’ve actually won a prize from PCH, you are not required to pay fees or taxes when you receive your prize money. No taxes are owed before income or prizes are received. You pay this when idling your taxes for the year or via estimated payments. If someone sends you part of the money and asks you to wire some back or claims you’ve won millions but need to pay some fees upfront, never send them money. They’re trying to scam you.

Real checks don’t require your PII

A legitimate check does not require personally identifiable information (PII) to cash it. If someone requests this information from you, do not give it to them. If you’ve already cashed a fake check, contact your bank directly for help.

What to do if you suspect a PCH scam

If you suspect you’re the target of a Publishers Clearing House scam or you have already been scammed, you can take steps to report it to the right people and lessen the damage.

• Do NOT send any information or money (including a cashier’s check or gift card) to PCH, cash any checks, or respond in any way.
• Call Publishers Clearing House at 1-800-566-4724 to confirm if what you’re being told is legitimate. Other ways to contact PCH include online chat or email.
• Report the scam to PCH. PCH shares this report with the Federal Trade Commission. You can also report the scam to the National Fraud Center as well as file a report with local law enforcement.
• If you receive a fake check in the mail, you can report it to the United States Postal Inspection Service.
• If you’ve already sent the scammers personal or financial information, go to the Federal Trade Commission’s website to report it. The FTC creates a personal recovery plan for you and helps you repair your credit and dispute fraudulent transactions.
• If you cashed a fake check, contact your bank and explain that you’ve been scammed.
• Consider investing in identity theft protection to recoup your losses and protect yourself from further damages.

3 best identity theft protection services

Publishers Clearing House scams FAQs

Bottom line: Don’t get swept away by sweepstakes scams

Winning a Publishers Clearing House prize is exciting, so getting caught up in the possibility of receiving a boatload of cash is easy. As an unfortunate result, sweepstakes also attract a lot of bad actors trying to steal your money. To ensure you’re not falling victim to a PCH scam, do your research, analyze how you got contacted by PCH, and never send anyone money. To cover your bases, consider investing in services to protect your identity from scammers.