Facebook Survey Scam - Free Pair of Toms Shoes

Outline
Message appearing on Facebook claims that users will receive a free pair of Toms shoes if they click a link included in the post.



Analysis
The message is not an official Toms Shoes promotion. The message is a typical survey scam. Users who fall for the ruse and follow the link will first be tricked into spamming the same fake promotion to their friends by "liking" or "sharing" the bogus Toms Shoes promotions page. Next, they will be told they must complete a survey or offer before receiving their free shoes. Some of the "survey" pages ask users to provide personal information including name, address and contact details, ostensibly to allow them to go in the draw for a prize. Others invite them to download dubious toolbars, games or software. Still others will claim that users must provide their mobile phone number - thereby subscribing to absurdly expensive text messaging services - in order to get the results of a survey or go in the running for a prize.

No matter how many offers or surveys they complete, or what services they subscribe to, victims will never receive their promised pair of shoes.

The scammers who create these bogus promotions will earn commissions via suspect affiliate marketing schemes each and every time a victim completes an offer or participates in a survey. Victims may also be faced with large phone bills for unwanted mobile phone services and, because they have provided name and contact details, they may be inundated with unwanted promotional emails, phone calls and junk mail.

Toms has denied any involvement with this fraudulent promotion, noting on its Facebook Page:

Attn TOMS fans: beware of offers on Facebook that say they are giving away free TOMS shoes. Those pages are in no way associated with TOMS. Just wanted to clear any confusion as we've seen a bunch of you asking!

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Last updated: 21st March 2012
First published: 21st March 2012
Article written by Brett M. Christensen
About Brett Christensen and Hoax-Slayer

References
Toms Shoes Facebook Page

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