Sob Story Giveaway Scams: If It’s Too Dramatic, It’s a Scam

Who wouldn’t want a free PS5 offered by a stranger? Or a free household item donated on Facebook? Everyone loves free items, even if not everyone wants to admit it. However, many of these free giveaways on social media are scams.

In this article, we delve deeper into how they work, what red flags to look for, and how to avoid the Sob Story Giveaway Scam, also known as the “Free PS5 Giveaway Scam.”

---

Scam Detectors Most Trusted Websites in Online Security

1. Guard.io (100): Surf the web safely. Clean up your browser, remove malicious extensions and check for privacy violations.
2. Incogni.com (100): Delete your personal data from the internet and protect against scams and identity theft.
3. ExpressVPN (100) Stay secure and anonymous online - Best VPN Out There

---

How This Scam Works

Sob story giveaway scams are more common on social media than many realize. Scammers post emotional stories on Facebook and other platforms, claiming someone close to them has died (usually, their son or daughter) and they can’t bear to keep their belongings.

They say they want to give away these items because they are overwhelmed by grief and bad memories. These scams often involve valuable items like PS5 consoles and other gadgets. The market value of these items typically ranges from $300 to $500, which encourages potential victims to get in touch.

The scam usually promises that all you need to do to receive the items is cover the shipping costs. However, once victims pay these upfront costs, the scammers disappear.

Why Do People Fall for It?

Emotions can cloud judgment.

Sob story giveaway scams rely on sad or emotional stories to manipulate people. When emotions are high, people might not think clearly and make quick decisions.

Many people want to believe the best in others and find it hard to imagine that someone would lie about something so serious or sad.

Scammers know this and use this trick to gain people’s trust. A convincing story can make someone let their guard down. Even those who are usually cautious might let their empathy override their usual skepticism.

People don’t know these scams exist.

Some people aren’t aware of these types of scams. They might not think a social media giveaway with a sad story could be a scam, and they become easy targets for scammers without knowing what to watch out for.

What Are the Red Flags?

Disabled Comments

Most posts featuring a sad giveaway story will have replies turned off, which is a major red flag. Anyone interested in the giveaway must contact the poster through direct messages. Scammers do this to prevent those who realize the scam and want to expose them from replying publicly.

Upfront Shipping Costs

Another red flag is if you must pay shipping costs to get the giveaway item. If you’re asked for money before you get the item, it’s a sign that the offer might be a scam.

You can visit the shipper’s website to see if the shipping fee is correct. You can use their online tool to estimate the shipping cost and see if it matches the fee you’re being asked to pay.

Grammar and Spelling Errors

Many scam messages are written in poor English, with spelling and grammar errors. These mistakes often indicate that the scams come from non-English speaking countries where internet fraud is common.

How to Avoid Falling Victim to This Scam

Be Skeptical

Always question sad stories and offers that seem too good to be true. Scammers often use emotional stories to get people to act quickly.
No one gives away free consoles without a reason. This should make you suspicious from the start.

Do a Quick Search

Look up the story or the person who posted the giveaway. A quick search might reveal that sites like Reddit have threads where people report similar scams.

If others have reported similar stories, be extra cautious. If you see the same message posted by random people on different social media platforms, it’s a major red flag.

Ask the Right Questions

If you were giving away a PS5 for free, wouldn’t you give it to someone you know, like a friend or neighbor? Why bother shipping it to a random stranger when people you know would be happy to receive the gift?

Do a Reverse Image Search

You can use a reverse image search to spot sob story giveaway scams. By using Google Images, you can check where else an image has been used online. If the same image shows up in different places with different stories, it’s likely a scam.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to images.google.com.
2. Click the Camera Icon (Search by image)
3. Upload your image or paste the URL of the image
4. Click the “Search by image” button.

Google will display results related to your image.

What to Do if You Have Fallen for This Scam

Stop Communication

Stop communicating with the scammer. Block them on social media and any other platforms they might use to contact you.

Report the Scam

Report the scam to the social media platform where it happened. Most platforms have a way to report scams and fake accounts. If you met them on Facebook, you can also share them to our compiled Facebook’s Scammer List. By sharing your experience, you can help prevent others from falling victim to their scams.

If you’ve sent money to a scammer, report it to the payment service you used, or your bank. Keep in mind that getting your money back might not be guaranteed.

Also, beware of individuals who contact you unsolicited, claiming they can help you get your money back. They are actually scammers themselves, often the same ones who tricked you in the first place.

Warn your family and friends to know about this scam to prevent them from falling victim.

You can also report scammers and any suspicious activity to the Federal Trade, and the FBI Internet Complaint Center by using the pages below:

• Report to the FTC
• Report to the FBI Internet Complaints Center

How to Protect Yourself More

Do you want to receive notifications about the most notorious scams on a regular basis? Subscribe to our scam alerts.

You will receive periodic emails from Scam Detector with exclusive tips. Those will include info on how to prevent fraud and insights about the newest tools you can use to fight crime.

Feel free to explore additional articles on related fraud. Last but not least, if you had any bad experiences, make sure to use the comments section below to expose the scammers!

Conclusion

Sob story giveaway scams use emotional stories to trick people into paying the shipping fees for giveaway items that don’t exist. Always be cautious if a giveaway offer involves paying the shipping costs upfront or the story seems too dramatic. Be skeptical, don’t ignore the obvious red flags, and don’t let your emotions cloud your judgment.