Recently, KPD officers took a report from a local person who fell victim to scammers who pretended to be from Publishers Clearing House. This person was scammed out of a considerable amount of money. These scammers are very good at what they do -- which is stealing your money. We want you to be alert to this and other types of scams.

Publishers Clearing House is not a scam. PCH has marketed merchandise and magazine subscriptions to American households since 1967 and the company awards between $3 million and $13 million to Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes participants every year. However, while the company itself is legitimate, scam artists are using its name and brand recognition to trick people into giving up money and personal data.

Here’s an example of how a typical PCH scam plays out:

• Scammers target victims with phone calls, emails, or text messages. You receive a message or letter claiming that you’ve won a valuable prize. In most cases, the prize is a large cash payment along with a new car, vacation, or other valuable high-ticket item.
• You’re then told that to claim the prize, you must first pay taxes, fees, or shipping costs. Scammers often demand payment in gift cards from popular stores (such as Amazon or eBay) or by check.
• They’ll ask you to provide the PIN (found on the back of the gift card) over the phone or via email. This gives fraudsters instant access to the funds on the cards.
• After you pay, the scammer disappears. After you’ve given the scammers what they want, they hang up. You lose the money you sent to them and never receive your prize.

Remember, Publishers Clearing House doesn't call, they show up in person with balloons, a camera crew, and a big check -- and you never have to pay them. Scammers are good at this, they know what to say and how to say it, but if someone, anyone, contacts you and says you need to pay them anything, especially to claim a prize, be suspicious and be vigilant. When in doubt, call us at (830) 257-8181, or your bank before you pay a nickle.