LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A Las Vegas Vietnam veteran thought he won a real Publishers Clearing House prize last June worth millions, but said the person on the phone told him that he would need to pay for his prize, including taxes.
In all, the 89-year-old Vietnam veteran Manny Guerrero sent $180,000 to scammers, and lost it all.
“And as far as the victim that you’ve been speaking to, obviously our heart goes out to that consumer,” said Chris Irving, the Vice President of Consumer and Legal Affairs with Publishers Clearing House.
Chris Irving told FOX5 Tuesday the company hears about scams using the company’s name on a weekly basis. That’s why Publishers Clearing House works to educate people about scams, including talking to the media.
“It’s just reprehensible that these scammers are targeting people, telling them that they’ve won a prize but have to send money or a gift car or pay taxes to win a prize. The key message for your viewers is that at Publishers Clearing House, or any legitimate sweepstakes, you never have to pay any amount, any tax, any fee, any gift card, to claim a prize. If you win a prize. It’s free. Any taxes are between you and Uncle Sam when you do your taxes at the end of the year,” said Irving.
Irving says like in Guerreros case, a phone call is a red flag for scams.
“We never call consumers to tell them that they’ve won a prize. If you win a big prize with Publishers Clearing House, we show up just like you see on our TV commercials, unannounced with our Prize Patrol with the big balloons and the big check, the champagne. But we don’t tell people ahead of time that we’re coming,” said Irving.
Guerrero was told by scammers not to tell anyone he was winning a prize.
“Be careful if someone is saying don’t tell anybody. Very often these scammers say keep it a secret, don’t tell anybody. We would never tell that. In fact, when we have someone win a prize, we want them to tell everybody about it. It’s good for our brand,” said Irving.
Irving says younger people are also targeted on social media.
“We’ve seen consumers from all ages, all backgrounds, targeted and victimized and having lost money to these scams,” said Irving.
Irving says people should report any such posts to Instagram and Facebook, so the company can take down the posts.
Beside talking to the media to educate people, Irving says they work with law enforcement to help stop the scammers.
“They are very often offshore. Many are in Jamacia. Very difficult for us to track them down with law enforcement,” said Irving.
Irving also says be careful about letters that attach other businesses names to the name of Publishers Clearing House, and even celebrities. He says those are scams too. Irving says Publishers Clearing House may send a certified letter for smaller prizes but again will not ask for any money to collect a prize.
“If consumers realized that they don’t ever have to send money to claim a prize that would really take these imposters away and stop them in their tracks,” said Irving.
Irving says people should report such scams to law enforcement because money is recovered for some victims. However, Guerrero’s daughter tells FOX5 the FBI told her it was unlikely her father would recover any money.
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