Maryland Attorney General warns of phony “Publisher’s Clearing House” letter circulating

BALTIMORE — Maryland's Attorney General is warning residents of a phony “Publisher’s Clearing House” letter that has been recently circulating.

The letter falsely claims the recipient has won a million dollars from a random drawing of a serial number called the 2021 Mega Prize Payout.

At the top of the fake letter, “Payment of Winnings and Final Notice” is typed in bold uppercase letters, with a reference number underneath it.

The letter tells the recipient to call a “claims agent,” and to keep the award confidential until the recipient receives a payment in their account.

At the bottom of the letter is a photocopied signature and picture of PHC’s Executive Vice President Deborah Holland.

According to the Attorney General's Office, the letter contains the following red flags.

• It asks the recipient to act quickly and confidentially to obtain a prize.
• It contains awkward phrases and grammatical errors
• The signature and photo at the bottom of the letter are poorly reproduced photocopies.

If you receive the letter, don't call the number on the paper. Instead, report it to the Consumer Protection Division at consumer@oag.state.md.us.

If you believe you were a victim of this scam, call or email the Identity Theft Unit at 410-576- 6491 or idtheft@oag.state.md.us