Issue 137 - August 2012 (2nd Edition) - Page 13

Facebook Survey Scam - Free Argos Gift Card

Outline
Message appearing on Facebook claims that users can receive a free £500 Argos Gift Card just by clicking a link in the post.

Analysis
The message is not an official Argos 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 Argos promotions page. Some versions ask users to join a bogus Facebook event page. Next, they will be told they must complete a survey or offer before receiving their free Argos Gift Card. 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 gift cards.

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.

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

We have been made aware of several scams in circulation on Facebook claiming to offer free Argos vouchers to attendants that RSVP to an event or for posting information about Argos to your friends. Whilst Argos runs regular competitions, we are not involved in and do not endorse these competitions. Any Facebook competitions we run are promoted on our own Facebook page and any competitions we run through our website are promoted on our competitions page: http://bit.ly/qLCedG Please therefore be careful should you spot or receive any such messages or links and we advise you not to click on them.

Example

Argos: Get Free £500 Gift Card to Spend at Argos (35 Left)

Claim your free £500 Gift Card to spen at Argos.
Only a few left.

For more information about survey scams, see:
What is a Facebook Survey Scam? - Survey Scams Explained

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Last updated: August 9, 2012
First published: August 9, 2012
Article written by Brett M. Christensen
About Brett Christensen and Hoax-Slayer

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