Is Publishers Clearing House a scam operation?

Probably just someone fraudulently identifying themselves as a PCH representative. Like the idiots who call and text people claiming to represent the IRS or Social Security Administration.

I don’t think PCH itself is a scam, but this lady passing herself off as a representative of PCH certainly sounds like a scam.
If you have never signed up to win, then they would never contact you that you have won.

I can’t imagine that if it is a legitimate operation, they would be pm’ing people on Facebook as opposed to a snail mail letter sent to your house. How would a legitimate operation know that you are you? Many people have the same name on Facebook, for example if your name is Mary Robinson there are probably a million people on Facebook named Mary Robinson. I’d block that person right away.

@chyna @Nomore_lockout
Exactly, I never signed up she just contacted me on Facebook.

Found PCH warning online about fake emails and or Fb posts such as her’s.

I posted the warning on my Fb account for others to be aware of her. If her name really was Rosslyn?
I think she/he are targeting seniors, hence she contacted me…but after the recent passing of my brother I was worried that my older brother passed on too.
She did not reply to that question that I put to her.
Thus scam.

@jca2
Oh I didn’t block her, I just deleted all conversations.

@jca2
Thanks I just blocked her as well as another who got onto my acct.
Phew what a relief!
I suppose she was fishing for contacts on my page thus blocked her she can’t use messenger either.
Thanks for that suggestion!

@Inspired_2write: I would block her so she can no longer see your profile, posts or send you messages. Also, she wouldn’t be able to send your profile to other scammers so they could repeat her actions.

@jca2
Yes I noticed that she was copying all comments ( blue line shows copying).
That was a flag.

No. If it was a scam, they would be guilty of fraud.
Ignore the call as it sounds like a possible scam.

Publishers Clearinghouse has been around a long time. I’m not quite sure what their business is as they seem to give away money in lotteries. But they would not contact you that way. That was definitely someone trying to scam you. I never respond to people I don’t know on FB, especially in Messenger.

The real Publishers Clearing House is a direct marketing company that uses mass mailings to sell things like magazine subscriptions, collectibles, housewares, and jewelry. Most of us have probably received one of their fake “you are a winner!” checks in the mail (which they’ve had to settle multiple lawsuits over, including some stemming from government regulators). Given that they are a sales company masquerading as a lottery, I would say that it is a scam operation.

But I also agree with those who say this probably isn’t the real Publishers Clearing House. The company has been imitated many times over the years by even worse scammers—enough so that the PCH website has an entire page devoted to distinguishing between real and fake PCH communications. Blocking this person was the right call. While PCH will try to scam you into buying second-rate products, their imitators are after personal information that will allow them to steal your identity and/or gain access to things like your bank account or credit cards.

It’s like the SRS is not a scam but it’s rife with scammers.

If you are interested in buying a subscription to a magazine from PCH then fine. My grandpa had subscription from them for Popular Science and he won an excellent dictionary set and a globe of earth. Don’t try to only win the grand prize. PCH is about selling magazines first then prizes second.

PCH isn’t a scam itself but this isn’t how they operate. Good for you for nipping it in the bud asap.