CHARLESTON (WVDN) — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is warning consumers to be on the lookout for a scam bearing the name of Publishers Clearing House, the Attorney General and the Governor.
A letter with the state seal of West Virginia, supposedly signed by the governor and bearing the Attorney General’s name, recently surfaced. It purports that Attorney General Morrisey flew to New York to meet with the Board of Directors of Publishers Clearing House to negotiate the prize for the recipient of the letter.
“That is false, I never went to New York to negotiate any sweepstakes winnings for consumers,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “We will never contact consumers to notify them of their winnings. Indeed, it can be a welcome surprise to unexpectedly win something but it’s crucial that consumers don’t let the excitement overshadow caution and smart thinking.”
The scammers asked the consumer to pay $55,913.53 to claim the prize of a little more than $212,000, which will be “delivered at your doorstep.” The consumer who received the letter reportedly sent the scammers $8,000 to claim the supposed prize. The check payments went to an address in Stockton, Calif.
Also, there were grammatical errors in the letter.
“That’s one of the warning signs of a scam letter—it usually contains inconsistencies and grammatical errors,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “Look for warning signs such as unusual word choices or improper…
