Publishers Clearing House sends out activation codes via mail: Occasionally, Publishers Clearing House sends out letters to advertise its sweepstakes. Here’s how to determine if a postcard is from PCH and not a fraudster.
Who wouldn’t want to win hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars? This hope has sustained the popularity of Publishers Clearing House’s sweepstakes for decades.
However, this has also made PCH a popular target for con artists looking to defraud victims. Several readers have recently inquired to VERIFY whether they are receiving legitimate PCH letters containing an activation code.
Pch.com Final Code: How to Enter your PCH Final Activation Code 2023?
Do Publishers Clearing House send letters containing activation codes?
Publishers Clearing House does dispatch letters containing activation codes. The codes on the postcards are for entering contests, not for collecting prize money.
What we Observed
A Publishers Clearing House representative informed VERIFY that PCH occasionally sends promotional letters containing a code to its website where individuals can enter to win a cash prize.
The representative has appended a sample of the most recent letters sent by PCH. It consists of a five-character activation code that must be input on a PCH URL.
The current PCH activation code letter’s exterior.
The interior of the PCH code activation letter.
These are not novel letters. PCH has published 37 blog posts announcing the distribution of activation code letters on its website. Every variant of this postcard has a similar appearance and instructs recipients to visit www.pch.com/actnow or www.pch.com/urgent to enter the five-character code printed on the card. PCH has also previously posted about these letters on its Facebook page.
Age Restrictions on PCH.com: What You Need to Know
How Publishers Clearing House (PCH) Notifies Winners: Revealing the Prize
Consumers are not instructed to send PCH any money to acquire their prizes, nor are they informed that they have already won. To be eligible for prizes, consumers who receive a genuine PCH letter must still enter the contest hidden behind the activation code. Never before has a PCH activation code letter directed consumers to a website other than PCH’s own.
“If it’s not free, it’s not from the real Publishers Clearing House,” a representative stated. “DO NOT RESPOND IF A CARD, LETTER, EMAIL, OR OTHER CONTACT CLAIMS TO BE FROM PCH AND REQUIRES YOU TO SEND MONEY TO CLAIM A PRIZE. At PCH, victory is always complimentary!”
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), it is unlawful to ask people to pay or purchase something to enter sweepstakes or to increase their chances of winning a prize. Therefore, if you are ever approached for money, it is a scam.
The FTC also states that there is never a reason to provide your bank account or credit card number in order to claim a prize or enter a contest. Therefore, if you input an activation code and then discover that you must enter sensitive financial information. You should close the window. That is a con.
Rule and Regulations for Activating Your PCH Activation Code
Decoding the PCH Final Activation Code: Official Rules You Need to Know
The United States Postal Inspection Service states, “PCH will only request the following information to verify your eligibility and notify you if you are a winner: date of birth, name, address, and email address.”
PCH’s spokesperson told VERIFY that consumers can always contact PCH to validate they’ve received a legitimate sweepstakes offer.
“Consumers with questions about the legitimacy of a sweepstakes promotion they have received can contact PCH. By visiting our website at https://info.pch.com/category/customer-service/ or by calling our toll-free number at (800)-645-9292.”
