Publisher’s Clearing House Scam Going Around Again, Attorney General Warns

It’s an old scam, but Tuesday, the Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Unit said it is again receiving complaints about scammers posing as representatives from Publisher’s Clearing House.

This scam swept through Stephens, Franklin and Hart counties several years ago and periodically resurfaces.

Scammers call consumers and tell them they have won a big prize through the Publisher’s Clearing House Sweepstakes.

They then instruct the consumer to send several hundred dollars via wire transfer or a Green Dot MoneyPak card to secure their prize or to pay for fees or taxes.

Consumers who comply soon discover that the “big win” they had imagined was actually a win for the scammer who made off with the consumer’s money.

To help you avoid Publishers Clearing House (PCH) scams, the Consumer Protection Unit offers the following tips:

Never pay money to receive a prize. Not only is this a sure sign of a scam, it is a violation of Georgia law.

Publishers Clearing House tells WNEG News their sweepstakes are always free to enter, and there is never a fee associated with winning.

Addtionally, Publisher’s Clearing House will never call you to say you’ve won.

They notify winners of major prize awards in person via their Prize Patrol.

If you suspect something may be a scam or if you have been the victim of a scam, contact the Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Unit at www.consumer.ga.gov or (404) 651-8600.