BBB Warns About Publisher's Clearinghouse Scam

Publisher's Clearinghouse, which since 1953 has been a direct-marketing and magazine and product-selling company, is now facing a potential scam, with fraudsters trying to capitalize on their image.

BBB says watch out for scam

The Better Business Bureau has issued warnings for the west and southwestern US, about scammers who are calling and mailing people telling them they have to enter the sweepstakes contests offered by the company. Some of the scammers are trying to get people to pay a 'processing' fee, others are simply trying to get personal data from the victims.

Officials say the scam is spreading to the rest of the west coast and PNW.

BBB says if you are a Publisher's Clearinghouse customer, you don't have to enter, you are automatically included in many cases. The most common scam perpetrated against the company is scammers telling a person they've won, but before they can claim their prize, they have to pay the prize taxes and fees.

According to the BBB:

"Publishers Clearing House, best known for its sweepstakes and surprise jackpot visits, has become the #1 most impersonated organization by scammers, according to reports submitted to BBB Scam Tracker."