Scam Alert: A Clever Twist on the Sweepstakes Con

Some cons just never get old (for scammers, that is). Con artists are always impersonating Publisher’s Clearing House, hoping that the lure of a sweepstakes win is too tempting to resist. BBB has learned of a new twist on this classic ploy, combining what’s known as a “sweepstakes scam” with an “over-payment scam.”

How the Scam Works:

You receive a letter in the mail informing you that you’ve won the Publisher’s Clearing House (PCH) Sweepstakes. It says that PCH has even included a check to cover the taxes on your winnings. All you have to do is deposit the check in your account and wire or use a prepaid debit card to send the “taxes” to a third party. Then it claims Publishers Clearing House can release your winnings.

Sound too good to be true? That’s because it is. This scam has nothing to do with Publishers Clearing House. If you deposit the check, and transfer the “tax” money, you will end up owing the bank. Even though the money seems to immediately appear in your account, it takes the bank a few days to completely clear the check. In cases where the check is fake, you are responsible for any money lost.

Tips to Protect Yourself From a Sweepstakes Scam:

Lottery and sweepstakes scams are common. Here are tips to avoid them:

• Don’t pay up to claim your prize. You should never have to pay money or buy products in order to receive a prize. Be especially wary of requests to wire money or use a prepaid debit card.
• Be wary of email announcements. Major sweepstakes organizations sometimes email about smaller prizes, but for big winners they usually show up at your house with a big check (and a camera crew).
• You can’t win a contest you didn’t enter. You need to buy a ticket or complete an application to participate in a contest or lottery. Be very careful if you’ve been selected as a winner for a contest you never entered.
• Verify -- but not by using a source scammers give you. Check if an offer is real, but don’t call the phone number in the email or website you suspect may be a scam. If it is a con, chances are the person on the other line will be involved, too.

NOTE: Publisher’s Clearing House is a BBB Accredited Business.

For More Information

To find out more about other scams, check out BBB Scam Stopper (bbb.org/scam). Read more about scams posing as Publishers Clearing House on their website.

ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find businesses and brands they can trust. In 2014, consumers turned to BBB more than 165 million times for BBB Business Reviews on more than 4.7 million businesses, all available for free at bbb.org. BBB Serving Eastern Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island and Vermont, founded in 1912, is one of 112 local, independent BBBs across North America.

Paula Fleming is VP of Communications & Marketing for Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern MA, ME, RI & VT. Find Paula on Google+.