CLAREMORE, Oklahoma — A Locust Grove woman hopes to help others after nearly falling victim to a scam involving a fake Publishers Clearing House prize claim.
She told 2 News Oklahoma that she wants her experience to serve as a warning.
Angela Rush said she got a call from someone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, telling her, "I won $850,000. Oh, and $500,000 a week for life and a blue Chevy Silverado," Rush said.
Rush entered the real PCH sweepstakes before, so the call initially seemed legitimate. She didn't know PCH filed for bankruptcy last April and ended those large prize payouts.
She added that the way the call came in made it seem more credible at first.
"It was a FaceTime call, and I'm like, 'hey, this must be something important,'" Rush said.
But instead of seeing a live person on the other end, Rush said she saw only a photograph.
"Not a live person, a photograph," Rush said.
The caller, using only a voice over the still image, began with a classic scammer tactic: asking Rush if she would like to keep her winnings private. Scammers trying to steal money or personal information typically try to isolate victims from friends and family who might recognize the scheme.
The caller then asked what Rush planned to do with her prize money.
"I said, 'I'll probably buy a house and a little bit of land.' He said, 'well you know, some people do donate to a charity and help out their family.' Well, I guess I could, you know, help my family," Rush said.
The exchange clearly a deliberate attempt to raise both guilt and greed — two emotions scammers use to keep victims engaged and compliant.
The caller then pressured Rush to act quickly, directing her to go to a store while they stayed on the phone.
"Like Family Dollar, Dollar Tree, CVS — claiming those are part of our sponsors and you can go there and get the card," Rush said.
The caller wanted Rush to purchase a $461.61 gift card, telling her it was needed to "pay the taxes" before she could claim her winnings.
Legitimate prize organizations never require winners to pay fees or taxes upfront, and they never request payment via gift card.
Rush said she did not have the money to purchase the card. When she spoke with family members, they confirmed what she had already begun to suspect: that it was a scam.
The caller also sent an email asking Rush to click on a link to a "prize document."
Clicking such links is a common method scammers use to install malware on a victim's device, potentially giving criminals access to personal information, passwords, and financial data stored on the phone.
Rush said she is sharing her story in hopes of preventing others from being victimized.
Experts advise against trusting unsolicited calls claiming you have won a prize and against clicking links sent by unknown contacts. If you receive a call like this, hang up and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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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