About a quarter of the U.S. warehouse club and supercenter market belongs to Costco, making it one of the most popular destinations for people seeking bulk buys and deals. As with other popular retail destinations, scammers take advantage of the volume of shoppers to try to gain access to personal and financial information.
Costco scams can take several forms, so learn how to spot and avoid them below.
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Your Costco Membership Has Expired Scam
If you’re a regular warehouse shopper, you might panic at the prospect of your access running out. A text message or email telling you your Costco membership has expired could prompt you to click a link, which will then harvest your personal information and, in many cases, your payment card details.
Never click a link in an unexpected or suspicious text message or email. Instead, head to the official Costco website and log in to check your membership status.
Fake Prizes and Surveys
Many scammers use surveys and fake giveaways to gather personal information, which they may use to access your accounts on other platforms. Some even collect a small “processing fee” from victims who are eager to win a prize. Costco-specific scams include fake seasonal surveys, such as one promising a free Thanksgiving turkey and all the trimmings.
Avoid these scams by assuming all prize-giving surveys are scams, unless you see them on the official Costco website.
Convincing Fake Costco Ads
You might see ads for Costco deals that seem even cheaper than usual across social media platforms or as banners on websites. Scammers steal Costco’s branding (logos, etc.) to get victims to click through, hoping to access incredible deals. Instead, victims may enter their login details or other personal information on fraudulent websites, leaving themselves vulnerable to fraud and identity theft.
Always head to the Costco website or official app to look for deals, and don’t be tempted by a price that’s cheaper via an ad or offer email.
What to Do With Suspected Costco Scams
If you see any of the scams above:
- Don’t click any links. Screenshot any emails or messages before deleting them.
- If you already clicked a link, don’t enter any personal information. Close the browser window or app.
- Report scams to the S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online to help protect others.
If you have inadvertently given your bank account or card details to a scammer, contact your bank immediately. It may be able to stop the transaction or offer further advice, and it may cancel your card and issue a new one if necessary.
Stay Safer When Shopping Online
Shopping at warehouse clubs, whether done in-store or online, is popular because of the potential for incredible deals. But when deals seem too good to be true, they probably are. Remember to always check on the official Costco.com website and report any suspicious adverts or messages.
You can also sign up for Scam Detector’s Scam Alerts. You’ll receive regular updates directly into your inbox, keeping you up to speed on the latest Costco scams and other retail-related cybercrime, so you can continue to shop in confidence.
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When my sweet old grandmother got caught up in an Amazon gift card scam, I decided then and there that I needed to do whatever I could to inform as many people as possible about the grifters of the world. That’s what I do here – writing about modern scams so you don’t get caught out.
