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An old sweepstakes TV commercial once promised, “Only Publishers Clearing House can make you so rich, so fast!”
But, as some unlucky winners discovered this year, the opposite is also true: Publishers Clearing House (PCH) can make your fortune disappear just as quickly.
That’s what happened to John Wyllie, a 61-year-old Oregon man who won $5,000 a week for life from the PCH Prize Patrol in 2012.
According to NBC affiliate KGW8 [1], Wyllie received an annual check for $260,000 every January. The money let him retire and buy a house on six acres in scenic Bellingham, Washington. But this year, the checks suddenly stopped. A few months later, Wyllie learned why: PCH had filed for bankruptcy without warning him or other winners.
Wyllie told KGW8 the turn of events “feels like a nightmare,” made worse by the fact that he hasn’t worked in more than a decade and can’t find a job now. With bills piling up, he’s sold off big-ticket items like a jet ski and trailer, but still expects to lose his home.
For anyone who’s ever daydreamed about a life-changing win, Wyllie’s story is a harsh reminder that easy money isn’t always forever. It’s a reality check that could strike anyone who finds themselves scrambling to offset the loss.
But, as some unlucky winners discovered this year, the opposite is also true: Publishers Clearing House (PCH) can make your fortune disappear just as quickly.
That’s what happened to John Wyllie, a 61-year-old Oregon man who won $5,000 a week for life from the PCH Prize Patrol in 2012.
According to NBC affiliate KGW8 [1], Wyllie received an annual check for $260,000 every January. The money let him retire and buy a house on six acres in scenic Bellingham, Washington. But this year, the checks suddenly stopped. A few months later, Wyllie learned why: PCH had filed for bankruptcy without warning him or other winners.
Wyllie told KGW8 the turn of events “feels like a nightmare,” made worse by the fact that he hasn’t worked in more than a decade and can’t find a job now. With bills piling up, he’s sold off big-ticket items like a jet ski and trailer, but still expects to lose his home.
For anyone who’s ever daydreamed about a life-changing win, Wyllie’s story is a harsh reminder that easy money isn’t always forever. It’s a reality check that could strike anyone who finds themselves scrambling to offset the loss.
