JACKSONVILLE, FLA. - We've all gotten a pamphlet in the mail or seen an ad on TV for Publishers Clearing House. And I’m sure you’ve asked yourself whether this is legit. So, we wanted to Verify whether the company was real and if you could win all that money.
To verify our claim, we looked at their sweepstakes rules, checked their Facebook page, and found some news articles about the company.
We can verify that yes, Publishers Clearing House is a legitimate company that gives out millions in prize money a year. They also sell products and magazine subscriptions. They have been in business for more than 60 years.
To be fair, the company wasn't always transparent about how you could win that cash. The ads sometimes made it seem as though you were already a winner or the more products you bought the better your chances would be to win. In June of 2001, ABC News reported that 26 states, including Florida, had settled with the company for deceptive marketing. The settlement forced the company to alter its tactics for selling products in those states. It had to stop using phrases like "guaranteed winner." Instead, its mailings must include such notices as "you have not yet won" and "buying won't help you win."
So yes, you can win from Publisher’s Clearing House but remember you don't have to buy anything from them to enter or increase your chances of winning.
Now the problem facing many people are scammers using the Publisher's Clearing House name to get people to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars. So here are some things to be on the lookout for:
Some scammers illegally use well-recognized, legitimate brand names, to try and get people to wire or send money. But as we said, you never need to purchase or pay a fee to enter, win, or claim a prize.
In a YouTube video, Publisher’s Clearing House also says it will NEVER send you a private message, text or friend request on Facebook. And don't give out personal financial information. The company says they only deliver prizes in person, so unless they show up at your door, you're not a winner.
If you think you have been a victim of a scam you can contact the company at 1-800-392-4190.
And a side note, a lot of the people that were scammed were all seniors, over the age of 65. So, YOU may not get one of these scam letters, but your parents or your grandparents might. So, let them know so they're not fooled.