A reader gave me a heads-up about a well known scam that’s making the rounds again.
“There is a new scam, or an old one restarting. The caller advises you you have won the Publishers Clearing House Contest for $5 million. He gives a lengthy spiel about the contest to reassure you that you have actually won!
He then advises you that even though you have won there are taxes that need to be paid, all you need to do is pick up a gift card, at that point I knew it was a scam and hung up on the nitwit.
I think by that point, he thought he had me, but I had been warned about prize scams and was very wary of everything he had to say. I was almost convinced until I heard the Gift Card statement.
I figured the lengthy spiel was designed to convince people they had won, but forewarned is forearmed. I am passing this on so others can be forewarned.“
Good scam-spotting, George! Any request for a gift card is always a sure sign something is a complete and total scam.
Also, I know someone who actually won a million bucks in the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes. They just show up with cameras, balloons, and a giant check at your door. You can work the stuff out with the IRS later. With sweepstakes or lottery winnings, you don’t have to pay the taxes upfront. The withhold the taxes from your prize money and hand it over to the IRS. You don’t have to pay out of pocket.
A lot of these crooks talk a really good game. Heck, if they didn’t people wouldn’t fall for them.