Sweepstakes company makes deal over mailings

Port Washington-based Publishers Clearing House was bashed coast to coast — and in Hawaii, too — this week after it agreed to alter its marketing and pay $3.5 million in a legal settlement with the attorneys general of 32 states and with the District of Columbia.

"This company just doesn't get it," Vermont Attorney General William H. Sorrell said in a news report. "So as often as we need to take legal action to protect our citizens, we'll do so."

The news report from Montpelier, Vt., said: "This latest development follows allegations that PCH's mailings in recent years violated the earlier order and deceptively implied that consumers had a better chance of winning a big-money sweepstakes if they bought merchandise from PCH — in effect, that you had to 'pay to play.' ”

However, a company executive said Thursday that Publishers Clearing House does get it.

The sweepstakes industry is highly regulated, and Publishers Clearing House works with government regulators to improve its practices, said Christopher Irving, an assistant vice president.

"We have always cooperated as best we can," Irving said. "We don't always agree with the attorney generals, but when they knock on our door we listen and cooperate."

Irving said the company's mailings are not deceptive, do not target the elderly and do not give the impression that buying lots of company products improves your chances of winning.

"Most folks don't get that impression," Irving said.

The company has a web page with a detailed response to the settlement.

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