With an increase of time people spend on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, scammers are jumping on their opportunity to scam the public through social media. Father’s Day, graduations and weddings are upon us, so it is not surprising to see more coupons for extreme deals at major retailers. However, scammers are offering fake retail coupons to steal your identity and/or download malware. Better Business Bureau (BBB) wants to make sure everyone knows the difference between a real deal and one that could be a counterfeit coupon with bad consequences.
Often found circulating on Facebook, counterfeit coupons could have several goals for the scammer. Sometimes coupons are just a way for a site to generate extra hits online, but their goal is usually more malicious. They are often trying to steal personal information. Among the most frequently distributed fake coupons recently are Bath & Body Works, Costco, Aldis, Starbucks and Trader Joe’s. The coupons often times offer cards or coupons for $100+ free merchandise, especially if you share the link on social media. These coupons have been widely circulated on Facebook and many people clicked and reshared the posts. The coupon link often takes them to a third-party website that, in order to get the coupon or voucher, asks for the person’s information which results in downloading viruses or malware. The individual never receives the coupon/voucher and doesn’t know who received their information.
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