OCALA, Fla. – Imposters are using Publishers clearing house sweepstakes as a front to convince people to purchase gift cards to “pay the vendors” who are about to deliver cash prizes and new automobiles to their door.
That scheme fooled Ocala nurse June Martin when someone claiming to be Dave Sayer, of the PCH Prize Patrol, said he was coming to deliver a $4.8 million prize along with a choice of a white or blue Mercedes Benz.
“He was very convincing,” Martin told News 6. ”He sent me pictures.”
Those pictures included photographs of Dave Sayer and the Prize Patrol along with pictures of two 2023 Mercedes Benz sedans.
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Martin admitted the caller did not mention her name or her address, but because she had recently entered the PCH sweepstakes, it seemed to make sense.
The red flag for her was when they asked for $1500 in Vanilla Gift Cards and then called back seeking an additional $3,000.
“I’ve never seen people having to pay money, and I should have known that,” she said. “A lot of things I should have known; I’ve watched you many times.”
Once she realized she had been set up, Wilson contacted the Vanilla Gift Card company, alerting them to the fraud and asking the company to stop the funds.
Only one of the three $500 cards was reissued to her.
PCH Vice President Chris Irving told News 6 that any time you win a prize in the sweepstakes, “Do not send money.”
“Let’s make it very clear,” Irving said. “Dave Sayer or anybody from Publisher’s Clearing House is not calling any consumers to tell them that they won a prize.”
Irving said Sayer and the Prize Patrol will always show unannounced, there are no vendor fees, and no requests for payment via gift cards.
“If you hear that, it’s a scam,” Irving said. “It’s not from the real Publishers Clearing House. Rip up the letter. Hang up the phone.”
For more information about the real PCH sweepstakes, go to www.pch.com.
If you have a consumer or investment issue, email makeendsmeet@wkmg.com or text the words make ends meet to 407-676-7428.
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