FTC Sends More Than $18 Million to Consumers Harmed by Publishers Clearing House

The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $18 million in refunds to consumers harmed by misleading claims made by Publishers Clearing House (PCH). FTC action led to PCH agreeing to pay $18.5 million in refunds and make substantial changes to its ecommerce operations.

The FTC’s complaint charged:

• PCH targeted older and lower-income consumers, deceiving them into thinking either that consumers could not enter into sweepstakes without purchasing a product or that their chances of winning would be increased by purchasing products.
• PCH misled consumers by sending emails with deceptive subject lines that led consumers to believe the email was related to official documents, such as tax forms.
• PCH added deceptive shipping and handling fees and misrepresented that ordering was “risk-free,” even though consumers who wanted refunds had to return products at their own expense.

The FTC is sending checks to 281,724 affected consumers. Checks will be sent to people who ordered a product from Publishers Clearing House after receiving and clicking on one of the emails that the FTC alleged were deceptive.

Recipients should cash their checks within 90 days, as indicated on the check. Consumers who have questions about their payment should contact the refund administrator, Rust Consulting, at 888-516-0774 or by email at info@PCHRefunds.com, or visit the FTC website to view frequently asked questions about the refund process. The Commission never requires people to pay money or provide account information to get a refund.

The Commission’s interactive dashboards for refund data provide a state-by-state breakdown of refunds in FTC cases. In 2024, FTC actions led to more than $338 million in refunds to consumers across the country.