The PCH Prize Scam Now Wants Your Face on FaceTime

The phone rings. It's a 1-800 number you don't recognize, and the person on the other end has very good news: you've won a Publishers Clearing House prize. Could be a car. Could be a check for $50,000. But to claim it, they need to verify your identity — and they want to do it over FaceTime.

Here's the thing: PCH doesn't work that way. And the person asking for that video call isn't trying to confirm who you are. They're trying to capture what you look like.

This is a new variant of the PCH impersonation scam, and in June 2026, both AARP Alabama and the Better Business Bureau of North Alabama flagged a spike in calls. The FaceTime step is what makes this version different — and nastier — than the classic prize scam.

How the PCH FaceTime Scam Works

The setup is nearly identical to the original prize scam. Someone calls claiming to represent Publishers Clearing House. They tell you that you've won a significant prize — sometimes a named amount, sometimes just "a major award." The news is delivered warmly and with specifics designed to sound official.

The differences come in what they ask for next.

Step 1: The legitimacy pitch. They tell you they need to verify your identity before releasing the prize. This sounds reasonable enough — a real prize organization would want to confirm they're paying the right person.

Step 2: The FaceTime request. Rather than asking for an ID number or a verification code, they ask you to get on a FaceTime video call. They want to "see your face to match it to the winner's profile." This is the tell.

Step 3: The screenshot. While you're on the call, they screenshot or record your face. You might not notice — the call can be brief, or they might keep you talking while they capture what they need.

Step 4: The pivot. After the call, they'll follow up with requests for payment to "release" the prize — the classic prize scam ending — or they'll use your captured facial image to attempt bypass of facial recognition on banking apps and financial platforms that use Face ID as an authentication method.

That second path is what makes this variant genuinely more alarming than the original.

Why They Want Your Face Specifically

Prize scammers have always wanted your money. This variant wants your face because it's become a key to money they can access without you.

A significant number of financial apps — banking apps, investment platforms, payment services — offer facial recognition as an authentication option. If a scammer has a clear, close-up image of your face, they can attempt to unlock those apps by holding your photo up to a device's camera, or by using a 3D-rendered model. The effectiveness varies by platform and facial recognition quality, but the attack is documented and active.

Think of it this way: they used to steal your password. Then they wanted your one-time code. Now they want your face because it's increasingly what stands between them and your money.

That's why the FaceTime request is a signal, not a courtesy. They're not being thorough. They're collecting a biometric.

The Red Flags Hiding in Plain Sight

1. PCH never calls winners by phone first. PCH notifies winners by mail — specifically, a Notification Letter — and for major prizes, a Prize Patrol team shows up at your door. They do not call you, text you, or FaceTime you to tell you that you won.

2. Any prize that requires identity verification before you receive it is a scam. Real prizes don't work this way. The verification is a pretext for collecting your information, your money, or your biometrics.

3. No legitimate prize verification uses FaceTime. Actual identity verification, when required, uses ID documents and secure portal uploads — not a spontaneous video call.

4. The request for fees comes quickly. After the FaceTime step, most of these scams pivot to requiring you to pay taxes, insurance, processing fees, or courier costs before the prize can be "released." Real prizes do not require upfront payment of any kind.

5. They want you to keep it secret. "Don't tell your family yet — we want the surprise to be preserved" is a line straight from the scammer's script. Isolation from anyone who might verify the claim is standard.

6. Pressure and urgency. The prize is only available for a limited time. You have to act now. Real sweepstakes don't evaporate in 24 hours because you didn't pick up the phone.

7. The call came to you. If you didn't enter PCH, you didn't win PCH. And even if you did enter, PCH doesn't notify you by cold call.

If You Already Did the FaceTime Call

Take a breath. Here's what to check.

Review the financial apps on your phone. Look at any app that uses Face ID or facial recognition as an authentication method — your bank, payment apps, investment accounts. Review recent login activity on each one. Most apps have a "devices" or "recent activity" section in security settings. Look for logins from unfamiliar devices or locations.

Update your authentication method. If you see suspicious activity, immediately change the authentication method on affected accounts. Switch to a strong PIN or password and enable two-factor authentication via authenticator app rather than facial recognition.

Contact your bank. If you use Face ID to access your bank account, call your bank's fraud line and let them know what happened. They can flag the account, add security questions, or temporarily restrict access while you investigate.

Report the call. File a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov{:target="_blank"} and with the BBB Scam Tracker. You can also report to the FTC specifically about prize scams, which helps track patterns and volume.

Don't pay anything to "release" the prize. There is no prize. Any request for payment — taxes, processing fees, insurance — is the next stage of the scam.

For more on next steps after a suspicious call, see the how to report a scam guide.

How to Not Become the Next Victim

Know how PCH actually notifies winners. For major prizes, a Prize Patrol team visits in person. For smaller prizes, you receive written notification. They do not call you, FaceTime you, or text you. AARP maintains a Publishers Clearing House scam resource page{:target="_blank"} with official PCH contact information if you want to verify a notification.

Never share your face on a call you didn't initiate. Any unsolicited request for a video call — especially one framed around "verification" — deserves skepticism.

Talk to older family members about this variant specifically. The PCH scam has a long history of targeting older adults. Showing them what the FaceTime request looks like, and why it's different from a standard scam, can make the warning land.

Use Face ID for convenience, not as your only security layer. Any authentication that can be defeated by a photo is worth supplementing. For financial apps, use a strong PIN or passphrase as a backup. If your bank lets you disable Face ID as an option, consider it.

If the call involves a prize and a request of any kind, it's a scam. No exceptions. Real prizes don't come with prerequisites.

This type of impersonation scam sits within a broader pattern of fraud targeting older adults — one the SSA and Medicare scam guide covers if you want more context on the impersonation landscape.

For the deepfake and AI-assisted side of how scammers are using video technology more broadly, see live deepfake video call scams.

FAQ

Does Publishers Clearing House ever call to notify winners?

No. For major prizes, PCH sends a Prize Patrol team to the winner's home. For smaller prizes, they send written notification. PCH does not call winners by phone, send text messages, or ask for a FaceTime call. Any call claiming to be from PCH with a prize offer is a scam.

Why are scammers asking for a FaceTime call?

The FaceTime request is a biometric data harvest. By capturing your face on video, scammers can attempt to bypass facial recognition authentication on banking and financial apps. It's not a verification step — it's data collection.

I already did the FaceTime call. What should I do?

Check the recent login activity on every financial app that uses Face ID. Call your bank's fraud line and let them know what happened. Consider switching from facial recognition to a strong PIN on financial apps. File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

I entered PCH legitimately. Could this call be real?

No. PCH notifies major prize winners in person via Prize Patrol, not by phone. If you're unsure, hang up and call PCH directly at the number on their official website — not any number the caller gave you.

How do I report a fake PCH call?

File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov{:target="_blank"}. You can also report to the BBB Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker. AARP's Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) offers free guidance for older adults.

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Real talk: a prize you won by just existing, delivered via a FaceTime call from a 1-800 number, is not a prize. It's a setup. The caller wants your face because your face is worth more to them than the "prize" is to you.

Sources: AARP Publishers Clearing House Scam Resource{:target="_blank"} · BBB of North Alabama (June 2026) · AARP Alabama (June 2026) · FTC ReportFraud{:target="_blank"}