GREENSBORO, N.C. — “We just pulled up in front of the winner's apartment. There's a lot of cars here, but I don't know if she's home,” said Howie of the Publishers Clearing House prize patrol in a YouTube video.
Demetria from Fayetteville, North Carolina got a big surprise last week when the prize patrol showed up at her house with a check for $20,000.
If it can happen to her, why can't it happen to you?
It can, but you need to know how it happens.
A recent Publishers Clearing House Twitter post spells it out. It says:
Winners of a major prize are surprised in person. The Prize Patrol will not call you. Only scammers do that.
A Twitter follower replied to this writing that scammers were everywhere and she had just been told she won PCH.
Publishers Clearing House responded and confirmed:
You never have to pay to claim a PCH prize. PCH does not contact winners of a major prize via text, email, or on social media.
It's interesting, that when you watch the YouTube video from Demetria's win, the prize patrol points that out.
“20,000. Did I tell you I was coming today? No. That's how we do it .”
In case you missed it, another Publishers Clearing House post says it again, PCH will never ask you to pay to play or collect a prize. If someone asks for money, money cards or to pre-pay taxes to claim the prize it is a scam.
“If your viewers get an email, a call, any contact, a letter that says you've won a prize, but you have to send money, rip up the letter, hang up the phone and report it to law enforcement, because that's a scam,” said Chris Irving of Publishers Clearing House.