Other LanguagesIf you receive a letter from Publishers Clearing House saying you've won $1 million, don't quit your job. The Better Business Bureau says phony letters like this one are arriving in mailboxes across the country.
“Perhaps, not surprisingly, the increased prevalence of this scam comes on the heels of the actual Publishers Clearing House awarding a New Jersey woman $5,000 a week for the rest of her life,” BBB spokesperson Steve Cox said in a news release. “Scammers often steal their hooks from the headlines and operate in the wake of newsworthy events, such as Publishers Clearing House giving out a prize, because they know it’ll be on top of people’s minds.”
This ploy follows the same lines as so many others: The letter comes with a fake check that you're told to deposit. You're then supposed to send money by wire transfer to get the rest of your cash. Of course, the check bounces and your money is gone.