Learn about scams

← All companiesJobs, housing & money admin#48 most impersonated

Publishers Clearing House scams

Last updated September 19, 2026

The short answer

Publishers Clearing House scams involve fake calls, emails, or letters saying you won a PCH prize and must pay taxes, fees, or shipping costs to claim it. The real PCH will never ask you to pay anything to receive a prize, never calls to tell you that you won, and always awards prizes in person with their famous Prize Patrol.

Publishers Clearing House is one of the most impersonated brands in sweepstakes scams. Scammers exploit the PCH name because people associate it with legitimate big-money prizes. Victims, often seniors, are told they won millions and need to pay fees upfront to collect their winnings. These scams can drain life savings over weeks or months of repeated payments.

How Publishers Clearing House scams work

  1. 1

    Fake prize notification call or letter

    You receive a call, email, or letter saying you've won a PCH prize, often millions of dollars. The notification looks official and may include a "claim number" or "verification code."

  2. 2

    Upfront fees demanded

    To "release" your prize, you're told to pay taxes, processing fees, insurance, or shipping costs. The first payment is usually small ($100-$500) to test your willingness.

  3. 3

    Repeated payments requested

    After the first payment, more fees keep coming, each one supposedly the last. "Just one more payment and your $2.5 million will be delivered." Victims can lose tens of thousands of dollars over weeks or months.

  4. 4

    Fake check sent as "proof"

    You receive a check for a portion of your "winnings" and are told to deposit it and wire back the taxes. The check bounces days later, and you're responsible for the full amount.

Warning signs

  • You're told you won a PCH prize but need to pay to claim it (PCH never charges winners)
  • The notification comes by phone, email, or regular mail (real PCH winners are surprised in person by the Prize Patrol)
  • You're asked to pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency
  • The caller says to keep the prize a secret until it's finalized
  • You receive a check to deposit and are asked to send money back
  • Fees keep increasing after each payment with promises the prize is almost ready

Examples

"You won $2.5 million from PCH" phone call

An elderly woman receives a call saying she won $2.5 million from Publishers Clearing House. She just needs to pay $450 in "federal processing taxes" via gift cards. Over the next month, she's asked for additional payments totaling $12,000 before a family member intervenes.

Fake PCH email with check enclosed

An email says you won $750,000 from PCH and includes an attached "verification check" for $4,500. You're told to deposit the check and wire $2,200 for "prize insurance." The check bounces after a few days, and you owe the bank the full $4,500.

What to do

  • Remember: you never have to pay to win a legitimate prize. If they ask for money, it's a scam.
  • Don't deposit checks from unknown sources. You'll be responsible when they bounce.
  • Verify any supposed prize by contacting PCH directly at pch.com or calling 1-800-459-4724.
  • Talk to a trusted family member or friend before responding to any prize notification.
  • If you've already sent money, stop all payments immediately and report the scam.

Report it to Publishers Clearing House

Report fake PCH contact at scamreport.pch.com. A real PCH prize never requires a payment of any kind.

Our step-by-step guide: Publishers Clearing House

Getting your money back

If you sent money to a fake PCH scam, contact your bank or gift card company immediately. Gift card companies can sometimes freeze remaining balances. File a police report and report to the FTC. If wire transfers were involved, contact the wire service (Western Union, MoneyGram) as they may be able to reverse recent transfers. Consider alerting Adult Protective Services if the victim is elderly.

Frequently asked questions

Does Publishers Clearing House call winners?

No. PCH does not notify winners by phone, email, or regular mail. Real PCH prize winners are surprised in person by the PCH Prize Patrol, who show up at your door. If someone calls or emails saying you won a PCH prize, it's a scam.

Do I have to pay taxes on a PCH prize?

If you actually won a PCH prize, you would be responsible for taxes, but you would pay them directly to the IRS when you file your tax return. PCH will never ask you to pay taxes upfront before receiving your prize. Any request for upfront payment is a scam.

Why do PCH scams target the elderly?

Scammers target seniors because they're more likely to be familiar with and trust the PCH brand, may be more trusting of authority figures, may be isolated with fewer people to consult, and often have retirement savings that scammers want to drain.

Other companies scammers impersonate

Scams reuse their scripts across brands. If you were contacted about Publishers Clearing House, these are the guides worth reading next.

See all companies