Publishers Clearing House / PCH.com
reviews and complaints

I'm complaining of the error mesages i keep getting that send you back to the begining of a game or it blanks out iv'e gotten poor responce from pch and i'm tired of the fake email from danille lam about that i was a winner only to get nothing or to not have some one show up .iv'e been playing pch games for over 4 years to not even win once they sent me a bogus check for ten dollars i'm sure it will bounce .I'm also sick how they keep telling you are a finalist and then you waste your whole day playing these stupid game that i'm up to 12am i'm a retired senior and i cant take any more of these frekin lies of theirs i wish the FBI would shut them down period..

I received a package of paper cup cake molds I never ordered. This is the
second time this year they sent me something I didn't order. The fist time it was glass storage bowls. I called them and told them I didn't order this.
I got the same reply about to late to cancel. I told them I cannot pay because
my only income is social security. When I Said this sounds like you are scamming the elderly. She told me to just keep the bowls and there will not be any charges.
This time I will cross out my name and address and drop the package in the mail marked return to sender.

Has anyone been able to track how frequently they do this?
Can anyone track the ages of the people they do this to?
I feel very strongly about this type of ripoff.
Do they actual give out the money they say they do?
P.S. I am 68 years old.

This company takes advantage of people by giving false promises with "last chance sweepstakes." Everyone receives the same mass produced form letters. My mother has been taken advantage of repeatedly and this is a shoddy way of doing business. I inquired at the Post Office when requiring the 3rd time shipped drying rack and the Postmaster told he just keep returning the items.

Folks, by law any item that is shipped, but not ordered is yours to keep free and clear.

PCH can afford to send items out to each of you because they are making a large profit margin and money on the back end for shipping charges. As an example they are charging $11.95 for a $2.00 bag of licorice twist twist + 5.95 Before shipping this equates to a 91% profit margin. The candy is of poor quality ingredients and my mother doesn't eat licorice. Order #[protected] will not be paid for and should be credited immediately.

If need be, I will get parents a PO Box and pick up their mail daily to sort through PCH crap, Returning to Sender before leaving the PO.

As part of enter the sweepstakes I could spin the wheel for a discount on items I ordered. I landed on getting $30 off, so I ordered a couple of items that totaled over $35.00 before shipping. When I received the items and bill there was nothing showing I received a discount. I paid part of the bill. I called the number on the bill and was told that was never an offer. I am sure it was. I asked to speak with a supervisor and, right or wrong, I do not appreciate having someone repeatedly insinuate I was confused. What happened to the customer being right? I know what I saw. Also, online it says you can pay so much a month until it is paid off. Nowhere on the bill does it say that. It wants you to pay in full and pay it now.

I will not be ordering from PCH again. I feel for the elderly who get sucked into thinking they have to order something in order to be entered into the contest. PCH are a bunch of crooks.

In 1994 Publishers Clearing House sent mailings telling recipients they were all "finalists", which led to[10] a lawsuit involving the attorneys general of 14 US states.[19][20][21] Later that year, Publishers Clearing House denied wrongdoing, but agreed to pay a settlement of $490, 000 and to change their practices.[20] Under the agreement, Publishers Clearing House said it would define terms like "finalist" and disclose the chances of winning.[22]

In 1997, a contestant of competitor American Family Publishers flew to Tampa, Florida thinking he had won, though he had not. The resulting publicity caused more lawsuits for both companies.[6] Publishers Clearing House reached a $30 million national settlement in 1999.[8][23] In 2000, another $18 million settlement was reached with 24 states, after the company sent mass mailings that said "You are a winner!" and used mock personalized checks.[17][24] Publishers Clearing House agreed to avoid similar mailings in the future, and add a "sweepstakes fact box" to mailings.[17][24]

State attorneys spoke out against the national settlement from 2000 and additional lawsuits were filed by individual states.[8] Another $34 million settlement was reached in 2001 in a lawsuit involving 25 states.[1][25] As part of the settlement, Publishers Clearing House was required to avoid terms like "Guaranteed Winner, " add disclaimers to mailings saying that the recipient has not won and that purchasing merchandise won't increase their chances.[26][25][27] Publishers Clearing House reached settlements with all fifty states and agreed to work with a "compliance counsel."[6] Publishers Clearing House apologized in the settlement and said it would contact customers who had spent more than $1, 000 on merchandise the prior year".[28]

Publishers Clearing House also reached an agreement with Iowa in 2007.[29] In 2010 the company paid $3.5 million to the Attorneys General of 32 states and the District of Columbia to settle possible contempt charges that it had violated the terms of the 2001 agreement. The company denied wrongdoing, but agreed to work with both an ombudsperson and a compliance counsel who would review its mailings quarterly.[30][31][32][33]

In April 2014, an investigation by the Senate Special Committee on Aging concluded that Publishers Clearing House had "pushed the limits" of prior agreements and that additional legislation may be needed.[34]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publishers_Clearing_House
Lawsuits total to date: $85, 990, 000

I am complaining about how, ever since I have went into the website, PCH.com, I have been receiving emails, saying that in order for participation into a contest on this site, such as some of the emails telling me to open immediately in order to still be in the contest. The problem is when I go into the site to get access into the authorization of being in the contest, they would send me to the search page, or would send more messages that are not so seriously urgent. As for the responsibility, having to go to this site everyday, and still get the same type of emails before you even get access to the site, is a definite no if you do not want these emails everyday. Even after I tried to sigh out of www.pch.com, they had me signed in, even after I had cancelled an account with them over the computer. As my suggestion, if you believe that anyone can still have your information even after you have also told them that the page does not load or you need to reload the page in order to get access into the site, do not try this on a smaller PC! this would cause the computer to run slower, even on cold, winter days, or when there are already viruses affecting the PC. Trust me, but do not quote me on this. This is my complaint.

I'm getting an error message every time I try to respond to the e-mails I get from PCH telling me to confirm my entry or search to claim an entry. Basically any time I click a button to Continue, Confirm, etc. in any of the contest e-mails I get from PCH. The error message I continue to receive is:

Service Unavailable - Zero size object

The server is temporarily unable to service your request. Please try again later.
Reference #15.a0b31bb8.[protected].[protected]

This has been happening for a few months, and I don't know what happened that caused the error to generate one day. Furthermore, it doesn't seem to be an issue if I'm accessing my e-mail on someone else's laptop. At this point, I don't feel it's worth the time or energy to try and get the issue resolved, especially after seeing the complaints of others on this board relating to customer service (or lack thereof).

I was sent a bill back in November of this year for 27.45 which had been paid. However I called your company and had a discussion with one of your people and decided to pay it and get you off my back. On NOvember 17 the amt was taken out of my First Niagara bank acct and the acct was satisfied. The gentlemen told me that I wouldnt get anymore nasty letters. I checked my acct after I got his letter and low and behold it shows where your company took the money out of my accy on november 17th, the same day I spoke with your representative. Im done, this is paid and I aint paying anymore!

I've grown tired of the same error message(s) when attempting to play PCHLotto / PCH Scratch Cards Service Unavailable - Zero size object The server is temporarily unable to service your request. Please try again later. Reference #15.6234d417.[protected].bad395a9 To be followed by the following Warning! Your entry will be forfeited if you leave this page. When PCH Server is operating, sadly PCHLotto and Scratch Cards do not work. Enter Lotto numbers, PCHLotto acknowledges but card never submits, #2 Card of 19 Cards total in this never ending game. Scratch cards have same issue, able to submit up to 3 scratch cards with no additional cards (and there are many) appearing to play or to 'qualify' to win. PCH will provide a 'technical service phone number aka: customer service, alas I've already completed the clean cookies/cache as recommended by the customer service screen PCH reads from, then to be placed on death hold to then be disconnected. Servers fail, contests do not operate correctly, and poor customer representation is what winning is all about at PCH?

I received a package on 11/21/15 that held a Gold Mercury Pendant that I did not order. In addition to the item, I received a $31.95 bill. Since I did not order the item, it is now my responsibility to return the item. according to the return instructions, I am forced to send it "return receipt requested" or UPS for a signature. I am extremely upset that I am having to pay to return an item that I did not order nor do I want. I am sick and tired of getting these envelopes 2 - 3 times each and every week and after years of ordering, I stopped ordering and now am getting packages that I did not order or want. If I get any other packages with items that I do not order, I am going to throw them away along with all envelopes coming from PCH. This is extremely unfair mailing practices and you are costing me money that I should never have to pay. I do not order jewelry through the mail. You can go back to any of my previous orders and you will not see anything that resembles jewelry. Remove me from your mailing list. I will no order, enter or accept another package from PCH due to this. Brenda Sandifer Tampa, FL

I've been doing this forever and I'm sick of sweepstakes entries. I don't believe PCH is a legit sweepstakes, however, they use fake sweepstakes scams just to get people to by their cheap ### products. I have never actually heard of anyone ever winning, wouldn't you think it would make the news? Kimmie

I had ordered one item x 2. It was a microwave plastic cover that I thought was a good invention, so I had ordered two. Before the items that I had actually ordered arrived I got some tupperware products that I did not order with a bill of $21.95. I was going to ship it back but to my dismay it would cost me $17.00 to ship it back. If, publishers clearing house wants these items back they should send a return, prepaid label so I can do so, otherwise they can kiss my a — . I will pay for the items that I had ordered only and not a flippin penny more. Bad business in doing this to people.

I have noticed credits are given only on particular searches. Thou I am an 85 woman I do search for more than pin cushions, recipes or stereotypical items. I do have genuine interests on PCH searches, but not getting the credit for doing what they ask me to do seems a waist. This is not a fluke, I literally looked up snow tires without the credit promised. Then I literally looked up pin cushions and there was the credit of tokens and an entry. This has reoccurred and is ongoing. Very often PCH asks for searches for sweepstakes and reading articles etc. AND etc. I have been and still am loyal to PCH and intend to continue. It is just irritating trying to think of new things without repeating them. I use to be considered a super searcher, but now I find myself doing my inquires elsewhere, as I spend so much time online looking up things for others medically, or whatever. I must apologize, I certainly don't want to bash PCH. I enjoy there games and would be lost without the fun I have doing them. Perhaps they could look into this matter. Respectfully, Betty

I had a win of $500 in one of the PCH games. Luckily I took a picture of the winning announcement and sent it to PCH. This is not a large win by any means, so I do not understand why they are reneging to pay out? Below is copy/paste of their response to my inquiry about the winning notification that I got: "Thank you for your patience while we escalated your case to be further reviewed. Unfortunately, our records do not indicate that you were a winner. In order to verify whether you had won a prize, we fully checked our records and the automated electronic verification system that selects the potential winning times. There was no such match to your email address, or time of visit to our site. For future reference, if you had won, you would have received a notification immediately with instructions on how to claim your prize. The screen shot you sent is not a winning notification. We regret any concern this matter may have caused you. " It has been a week since that email, still no response, so I decided to put in a complaint, so that people can think about the time they spend playing the games thinking that they may win something and if they do, what are the odd of getting paid...

I have been playing their sweepstakes for over twenty years, my Mother played no one ever wins. The actors on their tv commericals are very good. Something should be done they shouldn't give hope and not deliver. We even brought stuff from Pch but still no one ever wins. Pch needs to pay.

I played what they call in their terms a game i recieved mail and texts that i won 10000 a week for life then when it came time to do the info the white came over the speaket and said ill do the claim for you now i am being harrassed by the government and citizen on the on going basis i have family most abusful and othe sinde and persincede and other draining my money and pytting it in accounts i people putting my social security number in all day long and other turnung off power sources and other trying to probate me to a medical facility all on electronic record this is the same thing that happened ninty years ago i think it my families doing

I ordered the PCH lilac bushes and a lavender bush, they finally came with the box destroyed, have of the box open on top. the leaves of the lilac had holes, rips in the leaves. Didn't receive the lavender bush. the box can not be used again, would have to find another box to return. Please let me know what to do about this problem, thank you. Lynda Carter
[protected]@yahoo.com

I was contacted by a John White saying I won $95, 950, 000 and an E-Class Benz. The catch was wire $175 to some lady name Cornetta Benjamin at 523 Gordon Court Rock Hill, SC 29730. The Manager started asking me do I believe and God and I was going to have financial freedom. I don't have good feeling about this so I'm definitely not sending them the money. Be careful