Elderly man loses $250k in Publishers Clearing House scam
If someone calls you to say you’ve won $18 million and you need to pay a huge sum of money to claim it, the correct response is to hang up. Unfortunately, a 92-year-old man in New York didn’t, and it cost him a quarter of a million dollars.
Two suspects have now been arrested in what authorities describe as a Publishers Clearing House scam that turned a life-changing “win” into a devastating loss. And the details are a brutal reminder that this old-school fraud isn’t going anywhere. Keep reading because the red flags are clearer than you think.
Here’s what prosecutors say happened
According to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, Oral Durloo and Brandon Naime allegedly posed as representatives of Publishers Clearing House and told the victim he had won a massive prize. Of course, there was a catch. He needed to pay $250,000 in “taxes and fees” to claim it.
The suspect then drove the man to his bank, where he obtained a $250,000 cashier’s check and handed it over.
Why this old-school scam is still effective
In recent years, authorities have seen a spike in fraudsters calling people and claiming they’ve won a Publishers Clearing House prize — but must first pay administrative fees or taxes. The psychology is simple: millions of people have entered PCH sweepstakes over the years. It’s a real thing. So hearing “you won” does not immediately sound impossible. But the hard truth is that it is impossible to win a lottery you did not enter. And no legitimate lottery ever requires you to pay to collect your prize. Income taxes are owed on legitimate winnings, yes, but they are deducted before you reclaim your prize or paid directly to the IRS. In no legitimate world are taxes or administrative fees or processing costs collected from a winner before their winnings can be claimed.
A quick reality check on PCH
PCH today is not PCH 1998. After years of declining revenue, the company filed for bankruptcy in April 2025. Its assets were sold to ARB Interactive, which now operates it as PCH Digital LLC.
The company still runs sweepstakes, but primarily online now rather than through the giant mailers many seniors remember. And here’s a key detail: Major Publishers Clearing House winners are notified in person or by mail. Not by phone or by email or by text.
So if you get a surprise call saying you’ve won millions, it’s definitely not them even if Caller ID says it is.
The red flags are always the same
Here are the clearest fraud filter to look out for:
- You are told to act immediately
- You are warned against telling anyone
- You’re asked to pay fees upfront
- You are asked to send gift cards or cashier’s checks. Gift cards, in particular, are a favorite tool of scammers. They function like cash and are nearly impossible to trace once redeemed.
Note that the script may get polished tomorrow. But the core formula will remain the same. A combination of hope, urgency and payment request should immediately scream fraud to you. If you have older relatives, it is crucial to have this conversation with them. Because the only thing worse than not winning $18 million is paying $250,000 because you believed you did.
Source: Scamicide
