A man reached out to Action 9, saying he thought spending money would help him win money from Publisher's Clearing House.

Bag clips are just one of the many household items Robert Chamers purchased in his bid to win a Publishers Clearing House prize of $5,000 a week for life.

In a three-month span leading up to the May 31 drawing, he estimates he spent $400 to $500.

“I just kept buying, because I figured, ‘Man hey, I was going to win $5,000,’” Chamers said.

His wife, Mary, thought his constant buying had gotten out of control.

“Yeah, I told him to stop because it was ridiculous,” she said.

But Chamers said the wording of PCH emails made him think if he kept buying, he'd increase his chances of winning.

Finally, he said he knew he'd be a winner when PCH sent him a sample winner’s script to say to the camera if their prize patrol rang his doorbell.

“That's what they led me to believe,” he said.

But the PCH prize patrol never showed up at Chamers’ door.

Action 9 contacted Publisher's Clearing House.

A spokesman denied their sweepstakes are misleading and said buying products is not required to enter contests and doesn't increase one's chances of winning.

Action 9 also talked to the N.C. attorney general's office, which entered into a 2001 consent judgment with PCH to clean up its contests. It’s now looking into Chamers’ complaint.

He said he's finally learned his lesson, albeit an expensive one.

“The hard way,” Chamers said.