(Washington) The FTC is warning consumers about an increase in scam calls claiming to be of the Publishers Clearing House.
They say that a common set-up for the scam is to call from an unfamiliar number, claim that the person receiving the call won a lot of money from the the Publishers Clearing House, and will often tell you to dial a completely different number and extension.
The FTC also included the following as ways to identify scams:
- Real prizes are free. If there’s a charge, it’s a scam. Anyone who tells you to pay to get your prize — whether it’s for “taxes,” “shipping and handling charges,” or “processing fees” — is a scammer. Stop and walk away.
- Scammers tell you to act NOW. They tell you it’s a limited offer and try to rush you. They don’t want you to have time to think about what’s really happening. If anyone tries to hurry you into paying, stop. Remember that’s something scammers do.
- Scammers use names that look like the real thing. But no real sweepstakes company will demand money for a prize. To double-check, reach out to the real company. Make sure to use contact information you found yourself — not what the person who called you gave you.
You can report fraud and scams here.
