With the recent announcement of a $5 million Publishers Clearing House winner locally, scammers have stepped up efforts to separate you from your money.
Publishers Clearing House officials say their sweepstakes sometimes is used by scammers, who pose as company employees.
Several area residents report they have been receiving calls from persons impersonating Publishers Clearing House staff members and telling residents that they have drivers out “on the route” now trying to find them and then start listing prizes they’ve won.
Company officials stress that, in addition to never requiring people to buy something to enter, prize winners are not notified in advance or asked to provide personal information over the telephone or by email.
Chris Irving, PCH vice president for consumer affairs, said the company provides detailed information on how people entering sweepstakes can avoid being scammed.
The one simple rule consumers need to remember that would prevent being victimized by a sweepstakes scam is that at Publishers Clearing House, or any legitimate sweepstakes, no purchase, payment, order, tax, or fee of any kind is ever necessary to collect a real prize.
Irving says that if someone tells you that you have won a prize but you have to send money for any reason, hang up the phone, rip up the letter or delete the email.
Never give personal information (SSN, Bank Account, DOB, etc) info to anyone over the phone that you don’t know.
Telephone calls aren’t the only way scammers operate.
The Federal Trade Commission says some will send a realistic-looking fake check in the mail. You’re told that, to claim your prize, you need to deposit the check and send some of the money back for made-up expenses.
But when the check you deposit bounces — even after it seemed to clear — you may be on the hook for the money you sent.
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