How to spot Publishers Clearing House scams

A postcard told a 73-year-old Connecticut man he’d won a Publishers Clearing House prize worth millions. Then, he got a follow-up phone call telling him that, to collect, he just had to pay taxes upfront. He wrote checks totaling nearly $300,000 before his family discovered the fraud.

Publishers Clearing House (PCH) is a real sweepstakes company with real winners. But it’s also a name that’s borrowed by scammers hoping to trick unsuspecting victims into giving up money or sensitive information. These criminals leverage PCH’s reputation to make an impossible-sounding prize feel real, keeping targets hooked.

Here’s everything you need to know about what separates a real Publishers Clearing House win from a fake one and how to make sure you’re never fooled by a scammer impersonating PCH.

Is Publishers Clearing House a scam?

No, Publishers Clearing House itself isn’t a scam. It’s a legitimate direct mail company, founded in 1953, that sells periodical magazine subscriptions and merchandise. But PCH is most well-known for the regular sweepstakes it holds, through which it has given away more than half a billion dollars in prize money.

That said, PCH hasn’t completely avoided controversy. In 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued the company for using misleading language that suggested making a purchase was necessary to win or would increase the chances of winning. The FTC later issued more than $18 million in refunds to over 280,000 consumers affected by these practices.

Then, in April 2025, PCH filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing liabilities of up to $100 million against assets of just $1 million to $10 million. A mobile gaming company called ARB Interactive acquired PCH’s assets for $7.1 million in July 2025. But the new owner only agreed to honor prizes awarded after the acquisition, leaving people who had won up to $5,000 a week “for life” without the rest of their prize.

What does a real PCH sweepstakes win look like?

If you win big ($10,000 or more), the Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol may show up at your door unannounced, carrying a jumbo check with your name on it, a cluster of colorful balloons, and a bouquet of red roses. If you’ve won less than $10,000, your award may appear via First Class U.S. Mail or overnight mail instead.

PCH will never email, text, call, or message you on social media about prizes. PCH will also never ask you to pay a processing fee or pay taxes on the prize to them (you will likely owe the IRS taxes on your earnings, but it’s your job to declare this income when you file).

How to identify a Publishers Clearing House scam

The most obvious red flag of a Publishers Clearing House scam is receiving a message claiming you’ve won a prize and requesting payment or information. PCH won’t call, email, message, or text you if you’re a winner — you’ll simply receive a check in the mail or be visited in person by the Prize Patrol, depending on how much you’ve won.

Here’s a more detailed look at how you can identify a PCH scam:

• You didn’t enter a giveaway: You’ll never win a competition that you didn’t enter unless you’re accepting the winnings on someone else’s behalf. Ignore messages claiming you’ve won something, from PCH or anyone else, if you didn’t enter a contest.
• You’re notified over the phone: PCH will never call ahead to let you know you’ve won. A phone call from a “PCH representative” claiming you’ve won a prize means you’re being scammed, and you should hang up immediately.
• You must pay to receive winnings: PCH will never ask you to pay a fee or cover taxes before you receive your winnings. If you’re ever asked to send money to PCH, you’re being targeted by a scam and should cut contact.
• You’re offered electronic payments: PCH will never offer to send you payments electronically. Official checks are sent via USPS First Class Mail, overnight mail, UPS, or delivered in person by the Prize Patrol.
• You’re asked to pay check fees: PCH won’t require you to pay a fee to receive a prize check. If someone tells you to do this, you’re being scammed and the check is almost certainly fake.

If you’re ever unsure whether you’re being targeted by a PCH scam, you can contact Publishers Clearing House directly via live chat, email, or by calling 1-800-392-4190. A customer support agent will be able to confirm whether you’re a winner and help you redeem your winnings safely if you are.

How do Publishers Clearing House scams work?

Scammers weaponize PCH’s renown and reputation for giving out big prizes, counting on their victims being too excited about the “win” to be skeptical. The aim is to push targets into acting without thinking critically about whether the message they’ve received is real.

While the exact details of a PCH scam can vary, many cases use a similar three-step approach:

• The scammer gets your contact information: Your phone number, email address, or physical address can be compromised through data breaches, found on a public data broker website, or stolen in a phishing attack.
• They impersonate Publishers Clearing House: The scammer will call, text, email, or send letters pretending to be from the Prize Patrol or the PCH support team and claiming you’ve won a prize. They might use a spoofed phone number or convincing email template to appear legitimate.
• They ask for something in return: You’ll be told that, to claim your prize, you have to share sensitive data like your Social Security number or bank details, or provide an upfront payment to pay taxes, fees, or “processing” costs.

If you fall for the scam and send money or information to the scammer, they’ll disappear and the prize you thought you’d won will never arrive. Then, you could be at risk of identity theft, with the scammer using stolen details to access accounts or get credit in your name.

Types of Publishers Clearing House scams

While the basic approach might be similar, Publishers Clearing House scams can involve different tactics such as phony checks sent in the mail, prize notifications via social media, and fake versions of the PCH website. Here’s a breakdown of some notable PCH scam variants.

Fake checks in the mail

Publishers Clearing House scammers may mail you a fake check with a phony letter claiming you’ve won and need to send them money to cover made-up costs like taxes, insurance, or legal fees.

They might try to convince you that you’re receiving an advance on your prize by calling it an “initial installment” and claiming you have to take action, like calling them using a fake number, to receive the rest of your winnings. This approach aims to override your common sense and lower your defenses.

Messages on social media

Some scammers impersonate PCH in scams on Facebook or other social media platforms, hoping to trick victims by creating convincing fake pages impersonating PCH or sending direct messages claiming they’ve won a prize. In one reported case, a 75-year-old man lost $2,500 to a scammer who contacted him via Facebook Messenger claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House.

While PCH may post footage of the Prize Patrol delivering checks on its official social media pages, it never contacts winners in direct messages. PCH only ever sends winning checks unannounced, requesting nothing in return.

Fake websites

Some scammers create imitations of the official Publishers Clearing House website, accurately emulating the design and using a similar URL to make it look extra convincing.

If you end up on a fake PCH website — after clicking a link in a malicious ad or phishing email, for example — and enter your personal information thinking you’re entering a real sweepstakes, the scammer will be able to contact you to try and trick you into thinking you’ve won a prize. But, of course, they’ll request that you first send them your bank account details or make a direct payment.

Scam phone calls

PCH never reaches out to winners with a phone call, but that doesn’t stop scammers from calling victims to trick them into thinking they’ve won a prize. These calls will often involve a false sense of urgency. You might be put under pressure to provide information quickly before the offer expires, but that’s really a strategy to prevent you from having time to identify the scammer.

In a recent wave of incidents, residents in the St. Louis area received calls from individuals claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House. The callers told victims they had won prizes and instructed them to send money to cover fees, often requesting payment through gift cards or wire transfers.

If you suspect you’re speaking to a scam caller, refuse to give any personal information, end the conversation immediately, and block the number. You can then contact PCH using the official phone number listed on their website to verify whether the call was legitimate.

Requests to open a new bank account

A scammer impersonating PCH might tell you that you need to open a new bank account to claim your winnings. They may even offer to open it for you as a ruse to access sensitive information, such as your Social Security number (SSN) or existing banking information.

If you fall for one of these PCH-related bank scams, take action quickly to protect your finances. That includes freezing your credit as soon as possible and informing any involved financial institutions.

How to protect against Publishers Clearing House scams 

The good news is that PCH scams are relatively easy to guard against once you know the playbook. The core rules are simple: don’t engage with unsolicited contact from anyone claiming to be PCH, keep personal information to yourself, and treat suspicious links as traps.

Here’s some more information on how to help protect yourself from falling for a PCH scammer:

• Don’t respond to direct contact: Even if you’ve won a prize, PCH will never contact you by phone, text, or direct message on social media. Anyone claiming to be from PCH is likely a scammer and should be ignored.
• Don’t trust your Caller ID: Scammers can mask their phone number with fake Caller ID credentials, a technique known as spoofing. Remember, PCH won’t ever contact you by phone, so don’t answer calls that appear to be from PCH.
• Don’t share personal information: To enter PCH sweepstakes, you’ll have already entered your information on the official PCH website. PCH won’t ask for your personal information to verify your identity, so don’t share it if you’re ever prompted to.
• Avoid suspicious links: Links claiming to lead to the PCH website, received in emails or texts, may redirect to unsafe websites that can install malware on your device or steal your information. Always double-check that the URL in the link matches the official PCH website address.
• Ignore requests for payment: Winning a sweepstakes doesn’t ever involve sending money to others. Don’t respond to requests for payment in order to claim a prize, and certainly don’t send funds, as your bank might not refund scammed money.
• Report fake PCH social media accounts: Reporting fake PCH social media pages will help them get noticed by moderators sooner, meaning they’ll be removed from the platform to reduce the risk of others being scammed.

Much like wire transfer scams, the ultimate goal of PCH scams is to steal your money. Even if you only share basic information that seems harmless, scammers may try to profit from it by selling it on the dark web or attempting to steal your identity.

Educating yourself on how to spot these scams can help you avoid falling for them. And, remember, protecting your personal information should be a top priority when communicating with anyone you do not know.

What to do if you’re tricked by a PCH scam

If your defenses slip and you’re tricked by a PCH scam, key steps to take to limit damages include notifying your bank, freezing your credit, and reporting the scam to the FTC, local law enforcement, Publishers Clearing House, and USPIS.

Here’s some more information on what you should do if you fall for a PCH scam:

• Don’t spend fake checks: If you’ve cashed a fake check and the money has provisionally appeared in your bank account, don’t spend it. Your bank will eventually identify that this money cannot be collected from the payer and deduct the amount from your balance.
• Alert your bank: If you’ve transferred money to a PCH scammer, notify your bank’s fraud department as soon as possible to see if they can prevent the charge from processing. If you’ve shared your banking information with a scammer, ask what can be done to help protect your accounts.
• Monitor and freeze your credit: After realizing you’ve been scammed, you should set up a credit freeze to help prevent the scammer from opening accounts in your name. In the coming months, monitor your credit report closely for any suspicious activity.
• File an FTC report: You can report a PCH scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. They’ll provide a list of steps you can take to protect yourself. They may also use the information you provide to open an investigation that might help catch the scammer.
• Notify PCH: Report scammers to PCH using the official PCH Scam Incident Report portal. The information you provide will help PCH identify trends so it can take steps to warn others of scam patterns.
• Contact law enforcement: Filing a report with your local law enforcement office can help create a paper trail that makes it easier for you to prove the scam happened if you suffer from the consequences of identity theft in the future.
• Report to USPIS: If you received a fake check claiming to be from PCH, report it to the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) using their official fraud complaint form.
• Warn friends and family: Scammers with access to your contact information may be able to find your friends’ or family members’, too. Warning them can help put them on guard if a scammer gets in touch so they have a better chance of avoiding the scam.

Protect against PCH scams

PCH scams are just one of the many ways scammers can try to steal your money or information. But joining LifeLock can help, with expert scam recovery support available alongside coverage for up to $5,000 in eligible scam-related losses.

And, if you fall for a scam that exposes your personal information, a LifeLock membership can help you defend against the risk of identity theft with features that help you track and reduce exposure of your data, detect fraudulent use of your Social Security number, and catch key changes to your credit file.

FAQs

Who does the Publishers Clearing House scam target?

PCH scammers often target the elderly, aiming to get access to sensitive personal or financial information so they can drain their bank accounts. If you think a loved one is at risk of falling victim to a scam, take steps to keep them informed. The Federal Trade Commission’s Pass It On program offers educational resources you can use.

What can I do if I’m unsure that a PCH award notification is legitimate?

Contact PCH’s customer service team via chat or call their support line at  800-566-4724 during business hours. A customer support representative can verify if you’re a winner with your name, email address, or customer ID number.

Can I win a PCH prize without entering the sweepstakes?

No, you can’t win money from Publishers Clearing House unless you enter your name into the contest. However, you might receive an award notification if the winner can’t claim their prize and you’re their next of kin.

Can someone else enter me in the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes?

Yes, someone else can enter you in the sweepstakes if they follow Publishers Clearing House’s rules. However, if you’re contacted by someone claiming to be from PCH and suggesting you’ve won a prize from a sweepstakes you didn’t enter, call the PCH customer support team to verify it’s legitimate.