Beltrami County Resident Becomes Victim To Publishers Clearing House Scam

The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office is investigating incidents of fraud and attempts to be defrauded by people claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House. In one incident, the resident wire transferred a good sum of money to the perpetrators. Publisher’s Clearing House will not call you prior to you being awarded any type of prize from them.

If you get a call claiming they represent Publisher’s Clearing House, it is a scam.

From Publisher’s Clearing House:

If you are ever contacted by someone claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House (PCH), or claiming to be one of our employees, and asked to send or wire money (for any reason whatsoever, including taxes); or send a pre-paid gift card or Green Dot Money-Pak card in order to claim a sweepstakes prize – DON’T! It’s a SCAM. If you are sent a check, told it’s a partial prize award, and asked to cash it and send a portion back to claim the full prize award, DON’T. The check is fake, but the SCAM is real! Publishers Clearing House does not operate this way and would never ask for money to claim a prize. PCH employees would never contact you personally or in advance to notify you of a prize award. Our Super-Prize is presented just the way you see it in our popular TV commercials, “live and in person” by our Prize Patrol, with balloons, bouquet of roses and check in hand – – and with no advance.

If you feel that you have been victimized by a scam or fraud, please report it to your local law enforcement agency immediately.