Beware scammers saying you've won a prize

Crook County Sheriff’s Office is reporting an increase in the number of scam reports in this area, which all appear linked by the caller claiming to be from the Publishers Clearing House (PCH).

This is a known scam that the PCH itself has warned against.

If you receive one of these calls, you can expect to be told that you have won a significant cash prize and then asked to send money to a specific place.

The reasons given for this payment, according to the Sheriff’s Office, have ranged from a need to “verify your account” to “paying for the taxes associated with the prize” to “opening a money card for the prize money to be added to”.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, if the scammer is successful, they will often then ask for more money.

Scammers have also been known to send a letter claiming to award you a prize, containing a check that may appear legitimate. The letter will often claim this is an advance on a larger award that you will receive after wiring a portion back to cover a fee, tax or additional payment.

The checks can appear legitimate enough to fool your bank. If you deposit one, says PCH, the money may appear to be available until the forgery is discovered and the check bounces.

PCH has stated that scammers are also known to have been accessing and using the names of real employees who are part of the PCH Prize Patrol.

The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers will also attempt to use urgency to press you into conceding to their remands. The caller will state that this is a limited time offer to rush you into making a decision without the time to think about what’s happening.

PCH is well-known for its SuperPrize, which is always presented to the winner in person with a check, balloons and a bouquet of roses. No advance notification is given.

The company does not contact its winners via phone, email, mail or social media.

PCH also does not ever require a payment, fee or tax to claim a prize and will never ask for your personal or financial information to receive your prize.

“We urge people to be very cautious giving anyone your personal or financial information over the phone and to remember if you truly ‘win a prize’, you probably won't have to pay money to someone before receiving that prize,” says a statement from the Sheriff’s Office.

“These scammers are very convincing and relentless, they also tend to prey on the older generations. Our best advice if you receive a call like this is to not give them any information and hang up the phone.”

If the scammer continues to call, the Sheriff’s Office suggests blocking the number. You can also screen your calls by letting unknown numbers go to voicemail; if they leave a message, you can decide on the validity of the call.

The Federal Trade Commission recommends reaching out to the real company if you are unsure whether the call is real – and making sure that you do so using contact information you found for yourself, rather than a number or email address given to you by the caller.

“Unfortunately, there is not a lot that law enforcement can do with these types of callers. The numbers are near impossible to trace, and most originate from outside of the country,” says the statement.

“When we try to call them back and confront them about the call, they generally hang up on us.”

The Sheriff’s Office says that the best way to keep yourself and others from being scammed is to know that these types of call occur, and to spread the word to friends and family who may not be aware.

“If you do get a scam call and feel you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out to our office and we will do the best we can to assist you through that situation,” says the statement.