On April 30, 2025, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) declared that the refund checks would be issued to the customers affected by Publishing Clearing House’s misleading or unlawful activities. The commission will distribute the checks from the $18 million fund among the 281,724 customers.
PCH agreed to pay $18.5 million in refunds for misleading customers into purchasing the products. According to the commission announcement, the checks will be delivered to all the eligible customers, and they should cash the checks within 90 days from the date of issuance.
The PCH said they disagreed with the allegations, but they are happy to resolve the lawsuit and move forward to provide entertainment and fun to the customers with their popular chance to win the best.
| Who qualifies? | PCH customers who bought a product after clicking the deceptive email |
| Refund Check total fund | $18 million |
| No. of Customers | 281,724 customers |
| Processed by | FTC |
| Administrator | Rust Consulting |
| Refund Check Issuance begins | 30 April 2025 |
| Payout | $64 or more based on the product purchased |
| Application | Not Require |
| Official Website | https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds/publishers-clearing-house-refunds |
Who will receive it?
The PCH customers wondering about their eligibility for the refund checks processed by the FTC can check the conditions below:
- The commission has determined that emails that induce consumers to believe that the product is related to official papers are misleading or deceptive and lead them to buy the products after clicking on the emails they received.
The PCH customers who are still skeptical about their eligibility for the PCH refund checks can call the administrator at 1-888-516-0774 or visit the official website.
What are the allegations?
The Federal Trade Commission charged PCH with the following allegations that led them to compensate their customers:
- The Commission says PCH has targeted low-income people and deceived them into believing that they could only enter the sweepstakes if they purchased a product, or that their winning probability would be higher with the product purchase.
- The Commission also added that the PDH has charged extra handling and shipping fees, increasing the product cost by 40%, and led them to believe that ordering from them has no risk; however, when they have to return the product, they have to send it at their own expense.
- The Commission says PCH has deceived the customers by email with misleading subject lines (like W-19 notice, etc.) that make the customers think that it is some official documents, to make them click the email.
Payout Amount
The FTC has not cleared the amount for each person through the PCH investigation, however, the commission has said they are sending the refund checks, which total $18 million, to all the customers.
The payout for each customer will depend on many factors, like how many products they bought, the fees they paid, and others, hence it may vary from one person to another. However, according to reports, the customers of PCH who meet the criteria can expect a refund of around $64 or more from the check.
More than 280,000 customers will receive the refund checks related to the PCH, and they have to cash out the checks within 90 days, otherwise, they may become invalid. Hence, the customers are advised to keep an eye on their mail so as not to miss the check.
The PCH customer who has any query about their payment or wishes to inform the administrator about an address change can contact them via the phone number mentioned above, or email them at info@PCHRefunds.com.
Do you need to claim?
The FTC is processing the refund check for the identified customers automatically, hence, the customers do not have to do anything to receive this refund check. The commission is sending the refund check, so it may take some time for the customers to receive it, depending on the mailing service of their area.
The Commission also warns the customer that if they receive any email or text saying they have to pay or fill up a form to receive the PCH refund checks, then be aware, it may be a scammer or fraudulent activity because the commission never contacts people to pay for the refund.
If you received any such message or email, report the scam or fraud, or bad business practices to the FTC official website at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ to alert the commission.
The PCH refund check can be delivered to you anytime soon, in these weeks, from the FTC to the customer who was misled by the New York and Jericho companies of PCH.