Is Shoppers Drug Mart Closing?

Is Shoppers Drug Mart Closing? Fake Facebook Post

The hottest question Canadians have been asking themselves today is: Is Shoppers Drug Mart closing in 2021? Beware of a new scam on happening Facebook this week, claiming that the company is offering a giveaway due to store closing. It looks like an official post, so you need to pay attention to it. What's even worse is that the promo is advertised legally on Facebook, which approved the ad!

Here is a screenshot of the fake Shoppers Drug Mart Closing scam promo:

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The content of the Shoppers Drug Mart Facebook ad states, “We are giving all unsold beauty (premium brands) away for nothing. Just two products per person limit. Click here”.

There are so many red flags on this fake Shoppers Drug Mart giveaway. If you click on the link, you open a page that explains the promo. The domain name listed on the ad (which you could see above) is www.johnnywomenskin.com. The same fake website ran similar scams before on Facebook: once with Sephora stores closing, the other one with The Bay closing in 2021.

This domain name was registered just recently. It is not Shoppers Drug Mart's official website. However, when you open the link, you can see that the Shoppers' logo is on the top left corner.

If you try to open the menu button by the logo, it's impossible. This is the biggest red flag of the Shoppers scam. But wait, here is more.

 

Shoppers Drug Mart Closing Scam: How It Works

The content on the page explains why they are giving away all these unique products. The title is: “We Are Closing Most Of Our Stores Temporarily- Online Promotions, Exclusive Skin Care Giveaway!” This page goes for all the similar scams above-mentioned, while the content is the same.

Please don't fall for it. We'll explain why and how the scam works precisely but below is more from the page:

• “We're temporarily closing our stores because of the COVID-19 epidemic. It's a sad day for our loyal customers and us too. If you love luxury products from the top designer brands such as Estée Lauder, Dior, Chanel, etc., this may be the most exciting news this year! Shoppers Drug Mart is giving away free $100+ luxury brand products from these brands and many more! Please continue reading to see how and why we're giving away free products.”
• “Due to tough competition from online marketers and the COVID-19 pandemic, we're temporarily closing most of our stores around the country. This is an official announcement – we'll be closing most of our remaining 1283 stores. These store closures will help Stop the spread of the epidemic. To continue serving you and our loyal customers, we will temporarily improve our retail strategy to focus on apps and online sales. We have already closed down some of our stores, and the rest will be closed one after the other.”

It sounds compelling, as everyone has a tough time during the pandemic.

Store Closing Promo Doesn't Exist

However, the text that follows is copied and pasted word by word after a Macy closure announcement scam reported on Ripoff Report a while ago. Here it is:

• “Some of you may be really sad to see your local Shoppers Drug Mart close down, but the rest of you are most likely wondering: “Will this benefit me in any way?” Well, the answer to that question is an absolute “YES!” We're working with our Skincare Product Suppliers for a promotion called “Shoppers Drug Mart – Exclusive Skin Care Giveaway.” We offer an “Online Promotion” of the top luxury skincare products, such as Lancöme, Dior, NuRadiance, Estée Lauder, Givenchy, La Mer, and many more.”
• “To encourage people to avoid going outside and turn to online shopping, we have decided to give away some products at our closing stores, hoping that you will repurchase the same product from our Shoppers Drug Mart App or our online website. With our primary focus shifting to our online presence from now one, the best part about this amazing offer is that you don't need to go to a store; take a few minutes to claim now your free deal on your phone, here.”

And here is where the Shoppers scam comes in.

Shoppers Scam Pitch

At the bottom of the fake offer, you will see the Shoppers Drug Mart giveaway call to action. They say: “The terms of this great deal are simple. Depending on the answers you give to our four simple skincare questions, our cosmetics department will determine one product that most fits your needs. You'll be able to try a product that retails for $100 or more.”

Let's say you continue to believe you are really getting a free product due to Shoppers Drug Mart closing.

There is also a video on that page, which looks very convincing, too, but don't fall for it. It is the same video that goes for all the scams, with a paid actress reading a text in front of a green screen. If you pay attention, she doesn't say the brand name of the store. Behind here, the background is replaced as she shot in front of a green screen. Here it is:

The promo states: “Everyone will be guaranteed one product at least. However, for another lucky 10% of people, this promotion will be even better. Huh. After taking our survey, you will have a 10% chance of winning two luxury skincare products! They are fortunate because 10% of people who receive the second product will be getting the limited edition of the luxury brand products. These limited edition products are highly exclusive. It is why only a few lucky contestants receive them.”

“Answer our four simple questions to see if you're part of the lucky 10% who wins a limited edition for your 2nd free product! The inventory is limited; the promotion could end any day. All products will arrive within 1-3 days.”

Shipping Fee Trick

So you decide to answer the four questions. What happens?  You will have to pay the “shipping fees”! What does that mean? We'll give you the bottom line: you'll need to put your credit card number in. Wait, wasn't the Shoppers Drug Mart closing supposed to provide you a free product? Well, not only it's not. It does not exist, and you fall victim to the scam.

Fake Shoppers Comments on Facebook

What else could we spot on this Shoppers Drug Mart Closing Scam? The multitude of comments apparently coming from Facebook.

If you want to click on any of those profiles, they don't open. It's another reason to stay away. In a nutshell, the Shoppers Drug Mart Giveaway on Facebook is a blatant scam that hides under an approved ad as it would be legitimate. Facebook, wake up.

Before getting into how to report scammers, here is something else very useful.

List Of Trustworthy Purchases Below

If you're looking online for Shoppers Drug Mart products or any other cosmetics, we've put together a list with the highest-ranked products, validated as safe. They are below so you can shop without worries. You can also use the search bar. Here they are:

 

Shoppers Drug Mart Closing: How To Report a Scammer

Let your family and online friends know about this Shoppers Drug Mart Scam article by sharing it on social media here. You can officially report crooks and any other suspicious activities to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) using this link:

Report To The FTC Here

How To Protect Yourself More

If you want to be the first to find out (by email) the most notorious scams every week, subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter by clicking the link. You'll receive weekly emails – no spam.

On the same token, educate yourself with some other skincare fraud-related articles below, so you know how to stay safe online. Last but not least, feel free to use the comments section to expose other Facebook scammers.

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