FTC Sends 204,408 New Publishers Clearing House Refund Checks

The Federal Trade Commission is mailing more than 204,000 additional refund checks to customers of Publishers Clearing House, returning over $4.4 million left in a fund established after the agency’s deceptive-marketing case. The November 2026 payments are a second round, not a new sweepstakes or a chance for customers to claim prize money. Recipients are being told to cash their checks within 90 days.

The new mailing follows the first payment round in April 2025, which returned more than $13.3 million. According to the FTC, the additional 204,408 checks are going to people who accepted their initial refund. That eligibility distinction is important: not everyone who purchased a Publishers Clearing House product or entered one of its drawings should expect a second check.

How the sweepstakes case began

Publishers Clearing House was known for sweepstakes advertising that invited consumers to enter drawings and buy merchandise. In its lawsuit, the FTC alleged the company made users believe they had to buy something to enter or improve their chances, and presented some entries as incomplete even when they were not. The agency also challenged emails with official-sounding subject lines and unexpected shipping and handling charges.

The FTC says the challenged email messages could resemble tax or government notices. Other promotions encouraged consumers to move through purchase offers while attempting to enter drawings. The lawsuit focused on marketing practices and purchase decisions, not on whether sweepstakes winners existed.

The FTC’s official refund page says checks are intended for people who ordered products after receiving and clicking one of the allegedly deceptive emails. The payment fund arose from settlement proceedings; a refund check is not an indication that an individual won a sweepstakes drawing or that every order was fraudulent.

What recipients need to do

The commission says eligible customers receiving a second check should deposit or cash it within 90 days. Those who have questions can use the refund administrator’s published number, 1-888-516-0774, or the FTC’s own refund page. The agency does not require a processing payment or a gift card before releasing refunds.

That last point is especially relevant because refund announcements can attract impersonators. The FTC warns that it does not threaten consumers, demand transfers or promise prizes by phone or message. Anyone contacted unexpectedly should verify the program on the agency’s website rather than rely on a payment link in an unsolicited email.

With more than $17.7 million returned across the two rounds, the case now has a measurable financial outcome for eligible customers. The November distribution uses money remaining after the first set of checks, and the 90-day cashing window applies to those who receive the latest mailing.

References: Publishers Clearing House Refunds | Recent FTC Cases Resulting in Refunds