Publishers Clearing House (PCH) was created by Harold Mertz in the basement of his home in Port Washington, NY, in 1953. The first mailing was 10,000 envelopes offered 20 different magazine subscriptions. One hundred orders were created from the initial offering, helping facilitate a move into an office building and hiring staff members. In 1967, the company began its first sweepstakes to improve subscription sales based on the Readerâs Digestâs sweepstakes. They offered prices of 1-10 dollars at first, with a 1 in 10 chance of winning. PCH started advertising sweepstakes on TV beginning in 1974. It was the only major business offering multi-magazine subscriptions until 1977. Time, one of the magazines promoted by PCH, along with other publications, created their own company named American Family Publishers (AFP) to compete with PCH, being denied multiple times after negotiations for a higher share of revenue for their subscriptions.
The two companies, PCH and AFP, battled for exclusive rights to publications and for the best promotional and price ideas. AFP raised their jackpot to 1 million and again to 10 million in 1985. PCH then matches AFPâs jackpot. In 1979, 7 million in prize money, and by 1991, it rose to 40 million. Both companies would soon discover changes as consumers began to raise concerns that they were misled by the mailings regarding the odds of winning, which implied more magazine subscriptions meant better odds. In 1992, garbage collectors found many unopened entries to a PCH sweepstakes in a dumpster. Each entry was from a person who did not make a purchase. PCH claimed that the contractor with the mail service was at fault and entered the discarded entries in the next 1 million and 10-million-dollar drawings.
In 1994, PCH was involved in a lawsuit involving the attorneys general of 14 states in the US. A settlement was paid by PCH for 490,000 dollars, and they agreed to change their practices. PCH paid another 30-million-dollar settlement in 1999 and again in 2000 for 18 million for mass mailing stating âYou are a winnerâ including faux personalized checks. They also agreed to stop these mailings and include facts about the sweepstakes. The government was taking notice of the growing legal problems and decided to create a law to curb these companies and their deceptive ways. In 2000, the government created the Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act, which controls direct mail businesses.
During the Senate hearings, PCH claimed most of their customers had no confusion about their chances and understood that purchases donât improve their chances. Californian government officials said 5000 of their residents paid more than 2000 dollars in magazine purchases under the pretense that this was increasing their odds. Sales volume began to decrease by 22 to 30 percent, and PCH laid off 25% of its 800 employees. In 2007, PCH reached an agreement with Iowa, and in 2010, it paid 3.5 million to the attorneys general of 32 states and the District of Columbia due to possible violations of the previous 2001 agreement. An investigation by the Senate Special Committee of Aging stated that additional legislation may be needed.
The company was acquired by Blingo Inc. in 2005 and focused on online spaces. Online games such as trivia and slot games were developed for smartphones to attract younger customers. By 2013, the Internet was the main source of interactions with customers. As of 2012, a total of $225 million in prizes were won, including $5000 a week for life or $10 million. According to their website, as of June 2020, the odds of winning $5000 every week for life are 1 in 6.2 billion. Also, 40% of the company’s net profits are donated to charity.
Publishers Clearing House CANCEL GUIDES
Get together the following account information:
First Name
Last Name
Address 1
Address 2
City
State/Province/Region
ZIP/Postal Code
Email address on the account
Name of Magazine(s)
Phone Number
Web Form
Follow these steps:
Goto the website http://pch.custhelp.com/app/ask
Fill out the page with your information where it requested to do so
Tell the rep you need to cancel
Request that the agent emails you confirmation or gives you a verbal confirmation code
Click on the link or button that says the orange “Continue” button at the bottom of the page
Keep the proof given to you for your records
Phone (Live Agent)
Follow these steps:
Pick up your phone and call 1-800-566-4724
Tell the rep you need to cancel
So they can find your account, give the rep your information when asked for it
Ask the representative if you will be charged again
Just to be sure, ask for a refund
Request that the agent emails you confirmation or gives you a verbal confirmation code
