How the scam works:
(with explanatory video below) Scammers send mass-emails, request recipients to participate in a survey, and promise a gift card in return. The crooks pose as retail chains or fast food restaurants (latest name used is Zara) and use the real logos to make it seem legitimate.
Scam Detectors Most Trusted Websites in Online Security
- Guard.io (100): Surf the web safely. Clean up your browser, remove maliscious extensions and check for privacy violations.
- Incogni.com (100): Delete your personal data from the internet and protect against scams and identity theft.
- ExpressVPNÂ (100) Stay secure and anonymous online - Best VPN Out There
Participants who respond and enter personal information often find that, instead of receiving a gift card, they receive calls from telemarketers. Through the survey, the scammers attain participants' email addresses, phone numbers and home addresses.
The worst comes not when your personal info is sold to telemarketers, but when your identity is stolen.
The other variation of this fraud is the Facebook Free Gift Card scam. The crooks ask you to fill out a survey in order to receive the card, as well as clicking the “Like” button. Filling out the form and sending it over provides the scammers access to your personal information, including passwords and bank accounts. Amongst the Faceook/Twitter Free Gift Card scams found on the social networking websites are big brand names used by the crooks.
Watch the video below to see in action a third and most lucrative (for the scammers) variation of the Gift Card for Survey Scam, exposed in the news.
Below there is also a list with such fake offers posted by scammers.
“$1,000 Victoria's Secret gift card” scam
“$500 Costco free gift card” scam
“$100 Applebee's free gift card” scam
“1 free Walgreen gift card” scam
“One free Amazon.com gift card” scam
“Boots $50 voucher giveaway” scam
“Free $1,000 Walmart gift card survey” scam
“Free £170 worth of Tesco vouchers” scam
“Eat for free at Cheescake factory” scam
“Free £500 Argos gift cards for Christmas” scam
“Eat for free at Pizza Hut” scam
“Free Starbucks $50 gift card” scam
“Free $25 Tim Hortons gift card” scam
How to avoid:
People love freebies and that's exactly what scammers use as bait to get your info. Buy the online gift cards through legitimate sources, but first make sure the website is authentic and not cloned. And Facebook or Twitter free gift cards? Hmmm…no. If you really want to participate in rewards programs and gift cards are your weakness, use Swagbucks.com, which is the world's largest free online rewards program. You get paid by doing things online which you might do anyway, such as searching the web, discover products, take surveys, watch videos, or play games. You can also get free iTunes and Amazon cards. The company has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. You can register for free HERE.
How to report:
Make your family and friends aware of this scam by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the scammers to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:
Report Scammers To The Federal Trade Commission Here
How to protect yourself more:
If you want to be the first to find out the most notorious scams every week, feel free to subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter here. You'll receive periodical emails and we promise not to spam. Last but not least, use the Comments section below to expose other scammers.
Related Articles and Pages:
Verify a website below
Are you just about to make a purchase online? See if the website is legit with our validator:
vldtr®
TOP 4 MUST-WATCH FRAUD PREVENTION VIDEOS
1. Top 5 Amazon Scams in 2024 2. Top 5 PayPal Scams in 2024 3. How To Spot a Scam Email in 2024
- Latest Posts by Selma Hrynchuk
-
Compromised Credit Card Scam
- -
Fake Google Chrome Update
- -
Facebook Privacy Notice Hoax
- All Posts
Surveys and promotions USA – beware!!!
thanks for alerting me. I was almost sucked into fraud by survey.
Like to know who amarkt is keep texting me surveys for gift cards but want you to buy these shitty deals? Fake? Thank you
Sending limington Maine cape road 783 please an thank you owner Savannah Mooney brand new Apple iPhone 8 Plus early this morning
http://wedderburnreward.weebly.com/ Is this a scam or not?
Got a popup ad on some page I was trying to read. It was the free $1000 Walmart gift scam. I regret not using my common sense.
I’m getting calls all day, now an message with a link I DID NOT open.
Why did I do thi$? I’m smarter than this!!
I woke up this morning 9:43 AM to a call from New York looking like this # +1(929) 235-1572 (2) there was an option to choose 1 or 2 1reward of 100$ for a year for a restaurant Walmart Best Buy Target and Amazon only I can manage the gift or 2 to decline it. I choose 1 of course I was interested and then there was a wait in line with a classical song. Then the person answered he first asked me what was my first & last name, my address then zip code and then to pay for the shipping with a credit or debit card. I asked my mom for it because I don’t have one yet my mom knew it was a scam because she said they didn’t have my information of name or email if you supposedly filed out a form online in a website they should know a part of your information but they asked for my name so I believed her and she told them I don’t believe you are just a scam bye. The person didn’t call back. A reward should be given in the mail and not asked for your bank account for shipping paying 4 dollars. You guys need to be ware of this it’s my first calling scam I recieve.
Hi there is would really want to win the 1,000 gift card. ?
I got a webpage from a site that said about me winning a $1000 Walmart giftcard. I wanted accept soooo badly, but then I relized it was problem a scam. Im glad I didn’t accept. Thanks for this awesome page!!!
I just received an email supposedly coming from Kohl’s. The subject title is: "Go Shopping at KOHLS with a $50 Gift Card!?" Then a nice image with this gift card shows up. When you click on it it took me to a random website dogcatselfie.com, where there are a bunch of videos non-related to Kohl’s! Scam!
Macys promissied to make a check as a discount in next 6 months and never sent it. macys itself doing a scam
I love this page but first time
I’ve filled out so many of surveys it’s crazy
Never received anything?
Charter.com survey for $120.00 free gift card. Completed survey to be taken to this site: CHECKOUT
Ship Your Product Today!
Your Order
Luximax Watch
$0.00
Shipping and Handling
$5.99
Add Expedited Shipping
Upgrade to Priority Shipping!
$5.95
Add Insurance
Fully insure your order!
$2.95
Order total: $5.99
Plus tax
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Thank you for taking advantage of our exciting offer. We have no doubt that you will enjoy our Shoesumo Collection–that is why we are offering this VIP members only 2015 special. This offer is for you to try our product by only paying shipping and handling. This way you can find out if the product meets your expectations. By placing an order with us, you agree to our full terms and conditions and the enrollment in a 14 day trial program where you will only be billed the shipping and handling amount. If our product is not right for you, simply call (855) 709-6077 within 14 days of your initial order to cancel your trial and owe nothing more. Otherwise, at the end of your 14 day trial you will be automatically billed and your credit card will be charged the full retail price of ninety-eight dollars. You will then be shipped a brand new piece from our collection every 30 days thereafter at ninety-eight dollars until you cancel. Call (855) 709-6077 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. (PST) Monday-Friday or 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (PST) Saturday to cancel or modify shipments. You may also contact us 24 hours a day 7 days a week via email at [email protected].
Complete Your Order
First Name
Last Name
Email
Address
City
State
Postal Code
Country
Credit Card Number:
Visa and MasterCard Accepted
Card Expiration:
3-Digit Security Code:
What’s this?
I agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
SUBMIT
SSL site seal – click to verify
Isn’t the iPhone and free apple products scams to I mean the Facebook thing and etc what I learned is to never trust ads
CANT EVER FIND A FREE GIFT CARD WEB SITE I WISH SOMEONE MAKE COULD ONE WITHOUT THERE BEING A CATCH GEZZZZZZZZZZZ SOOOOOO MADDDDDDDDDD AND IF I DO PLACE AN ORDER THEY NEVER SEND IT WHOEVER IS READING THIS CAN SOMEONE JUST MAKE A FREE WEB SITE PLEASEEEEEEEEEE FOR MMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEE
I got redirected to a site requesting me to take a survery when trying to go to facebook.
Seems a bit shady. The url contained visitor.faceusersurvery and just didn’t seem very legitimate.
is Paid Surveys at Home a scam?
Recently did a survey for loweszzonestore but was directed to a site claiming I could win a $100 visa gift card if I answer more questions. Knew it was possible misdirected so I cancelled the page.
Weeks later (today) I received a phone call from (615) 808-4831 with a lady on the line. She sounded Indian and asked if I could hear her. I said yes then she proceeded to tell me that I needed to answer one last question for the survey I filled out prior and that I’d recieve a gift card after I answered.
She told me the reason I would get this visa gift card was because I must’ve answered positively to the survey questions. I kept telling her that I didn’t know what she was talking about until she hung up in frustration. I looked up the number online while doing this to find another few people have had this occur with them as well. Some filled a survey directed from a trusted site then were misdirected to the scam. Others claim they never took a survey to begin with.
Teddy, no! Don’t take it.
I have an offer for a $100 gift card from kol’s if I take a survey. Is this legitimate?
hi my is bernadette .the reason why I’m sending you message i will like to win a gift card $1,000.00 for the very first-time.my mom have die of stage 4 cancer i stay home to take good care of her she passed alway December 10_2014.and yesterday was my birthday and i never got what i needed and i will like to get something nice
yesterday i got a message on my phone from [email protected]: its it fraud or how would i redeem it?
Just filled out forms for store credit for Macy’s an kolhs .is this a legit thing
It would be great to get this I always shop Kmart for Christmas thank you Kmart
Would come in handy at this time!
I received this one today. It’s probably a scam! Did anybody else get it?
? Ready for Summer Fashions?
Start With a $50 Store Credit for Kohl’s!
Kohl’s brings you amazing new styles with its Holiday Collections! Have you browsed the latest autumn-inspired styles at Kohl’s? Share your fashion opinion by completing this survey and claim your $50 Kohl’s gift card!
Tell us Why You Shop Kohl’s:
Do You Mostly Shop For:
For Home
Womens
Kids
Men’s
All You Need to Do is:
1. Register
2. Complete the Survey
3. Claim Your Gift Card
We hope you enjoyed receiving this email. Should you no longer wish to receive emails from this company, visit this link to unsubscribe, or mail comments to Ondemand Research, 105 E. 34th Street Ste 144, New York, NY 10016.
Subscription Info
PO Box 470334
Lake Monroe, FL 32747
Just receive a similar call. Free $100 Gift Card and $50 Dining Card … then at the end they ask for my Birthday and Mastercard number so they could put a $ 1.95 processing charge on it ! ha ha RIGHT !!! Hung up as soon as that came across !
Kathryn Thames, did you recieve the $100 gift card? I had the same phone call yesterday.
I typed in facenook.com accidentally and got this page: visitor.faceusersurvery.com/test/?
It looks like a scam.
I received a phone call telling me I had won a $100 gift card and a $50 dining card, but they wouldn’t say what company gave the survey. Shouldn’t the sponsoring company be known to survey takers? The call came from Guadelupe California phone number 805-219-6032
I get this all the time at college. Thank god iOS 7 allows blocking, and so does Android. These are annoying. Every week I would get a text from walmart (obviously it isn’t them just someone pretending to be).
If it is too good to be true it is.
I can’t believe that everyone likes to scam honest hard working people.
I hope this is not a scam.