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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.
About the FTC
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.
Scams with Steve: How to avoid lottery scams - Turn to 10
Scams with Steve: How to avoid lottery scams.
Posted: Wed, 24 Apr 2024 20:32:52 GMT [source]
FTC Takes Action Against Publishers Clearing House for Misleading Consumers About Sweepstakes Entries
Recognizing the difference between legitimate sweepstakes and other types of offers that may not be legitimate will help you protect yourself and your family. But please keep these valuable tips and warning signs in mind to help you identify which offers are real and which are scams. Remember, the FTC never asks you to pay or share personal information to receive a refund. Don't pay anyone who contacts you and promises you a refund but asks you to pay a fee or attempts to obtain your personal information. If you believe you are eligible for a refund, there is nothing you need to do. When we have more information about the refund program, we will post updates here and provide information directly to consumers who are eligible for a refund.
prizes awarded
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.
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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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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.
Publishers Clearing House surprises Canal Winchester man - Lancaster Eagle Gazette
Publishers Clearing House surprises Canal Winchester man.
Posted: Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
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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!
Tip 4: Be Wary of E-mails Claiming You’ve Won – and Asking You to Send Money
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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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.
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!
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.
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