Scam Alert! You Have Not Won Publisher’s Clearing House

scam featurePress release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has received a report of a phone scam targeting local residents.

The scammers identify themselves as being with Publisher’s Clearing House and tell the victim that they have won $2 million and a 2018 Mercedes Benz. The scammers ask the victim to cover a portion of the taxes on the prize, around $950. To receive the money, the scammers offer to pick the victim up from their residence and drive them to the bank to withdraw the cash for taxes. The scammers then say they will give the victim a cashier’s check for the false prize money after receiving the cash.

If you think you’ve won a prize, here are a few things to know:  A company giving out a prize will never offer to pick you up and take you to the bank.  Never send money to collect a prize, sweepstakes check, or lottery winnings. If you have to pay, it’s a scam.  Never deposit a check and send back money, even if the funds appear in your account. That’s a sure sign of a scam.  If anyone calls asking you to pay for a prize, hang up and report it to your local law enforcement and to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.ftc.gov/complaint.

Visit the Publisher’s Clearing House website for more information about other variations of this scam: https://info.pch.com/fraud-protection-2/.

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12 Comments
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Dan Fuller
Guest
Dan Fuller
5 years ago

When confronted with similar “offers” I always tell them to take it out of what I won, then send me the rest!!! Strangely enough they NEVER want to do it that way!!! Which is when I hang up on them!!!

Terry L. Clark
Guest
Terry L. Clark
5 years ago

Sounds like taxation–just give us a little teeny-weeny bit of money and we’ll give you all sorts of wonderful stuff.

Mike
Guest
Mike
5 years ago

I could use a free ride to town, gas is getting expensive. I wonder when their gonna call?

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

This is a notch up from the usual scam if they intend to show up at your house.

Tisk!
Guest
Tisk!
5 years ago

I feel horrible for the folks, who took the ride to the bank. All hopeful for more $, after they hand over fake taxes, they couldn’t afford in the first place. How do these scammers even sleep at night? Shame on you!

Elaine
Guest
Elaine
5 years ago

I almost got cought up in one of them too.

Cheryl Wilson
Guest
Cheryl Wilson
5 years ago

I. Am getting calls daily how the h hock sticks
Do you stop these phone calls
I get them at six in the morning to evening so sick of this crude
Please just leave me alone you scammers

CoveTroll
Guest
CoveTroll
5 years ago
Reply to  Cheryl Wilson

If you can’t speak English ….and are asking for personal info, I tell you to go “eat a bowl of d!&ks!”

Thurston Ferrell
Guest
Thurston Ferrell
5 years ago

people. Please used your head😃

Russ
Guest
Russ
5 years ago

PCH will never call you to let you know about winning anything. They will show up at the door unsuspected. So I’m sure these guys that are pretending to be them are scammers for real, I haven’t been hit yet, but thanks for the heads up on this

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago

Oh my.

https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_59743580e4b0f1feb89b4423.

Maybe we could get Dave Kirby to capture these scam artist with his lumix…LOL

Bonnie L Pope
Guest
Bonnie L Pope
5 years ago

Another ploy is sending a check in an envelope with a PCH logo. The check looks real, but it is really a fake designed to obtain bank and account information when the thing bounces.