BBB Wisconsin Warns About Publishers Clearing House Scam

The Better Business Bureau serving Wisconsin warns Wisconsinites of an old scam that’s making its rounds again.Consumers report receiving phone calls from someone claiming to be associated with Publishers Clearing House (PCH). This person tells them that they’ve won a big prize, but in order to claim it, they need to pay a fee upfront.

One area resident submitted to BBB Scam Tracker, “I was told that if I paid $255 today for taxes, tomorrow they would deliver a Publishers Clearing House check for $1.8 million and a 2017 car. They told us to send the money wire transfer through Walmart.” Another consumer states, “I was told I won one million dollars from PCH. I knew it was a scam because I never entered the sweepstakes. The caller asked me for my bank account number so he could deposit the winnings. I didn’t fall for it.”

The area code from which the calls came was 876. 876 is the telephone area code of Jamaica.
“We’ve seen an uptick in reports of the Publishers Clearing House imposter scam, and the trend we’re seeing is that all of the recent calls reported have come from the Jamaica exchange of 876”, says Jim Temmer, president and CEO of BBB Serving Wisconsin. “The BBB advises if you receive this type of phone call, hang up. Never send money to someone you don’t know. Also, take time to report this type of incident and other scams to BBB Scam Tracker.”

There are five ways to recognize a PCH scam:

1. You are asked to wire money. PCH sweepstakes are free to enter and you will never be required to pay any fees associated with winning.
2. They ask you to wire transfer money or send a pre-paid debit card. Never pay strangers money, especially by these untraceable methods.
3. Someone tries to contact you in advance. PCH likes to surprise their winners, so you will not be contacted by their staff via phone, email or social media. You can also visit the PCH website for more information.
4. You get a PCH friend request on social media. Even if the profile features the full name and photo of a prominent PCH employee, don’t accept the friend request and report this issue immediately.
5. Remember, why would you win a prize in a contest that you've never entered?

Report scams and stay informed about those happening in your area through BBB Scam Tracker.