CLAREMORE, Okla — A fake check for $8,600 and a letter appearing to come from Publisher’s Clearing House told Karen Rowden she had won millions — all she had to do was cash it to pay the “fees” to claim her prize.
When she refused, the calls started.
“I answered the phone,” Rowden said.
The caller pressured her to cash the check at her bank.
“I thought absolutely no!” Rowden said.
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The caller’s next ploy was to attempt a personal visit.
“He said I can come with the flowers and the check and all of those things,” Rowden said. “I know that that’s what Publishers Clearing House used to do.”
When she continued to refuse, the caller’s demeanor shifted.
“He became quite agitated when I kept not cooperating,” Rowden said.
Instead of complying, Rowden contacted the 2 News Oklahoma Problem Solvers to warn others about scammers impersonating Publisher’s Clearing House Prize Patrol. She is the third wary potential victim to do so in the past year.
Publisher’s Clearing House scammers target Oklahoma residents with fake prizes
In March, Angela Rush received a text and calls claiming she had won a large sum.
“I won $850,000,” Rush said.
Last September, 99-year-old Julia Provance of Pawhuska called to warn others about phony Prize Patrol calls.
“All you have to do is give them $1000 for delivering your prize,” Provance said.
Chris Irving from PCH’s legal team previously explained the key thing everyone should know about legitimate prizes.
“If you’ve won a legitimate prize from Publishers Clearinghouse or any legitimate sweepstakes, you never have to send any money,” Irving said.
In April 2025, Publisher’s Clearing House filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and ARB Interactive acquired its assets. ARB still awards prizes for its online sweepstakes, but — just like the original Publisher’s Clearing House — it does not ask winners to pay upfront to collect winnings. If someone does ask for upfront payment, that is a major red flag of a scam.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy
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