BBB
Scoring a great deal on Black Friday is exciting. Unfortunately, con artists are using that same feeling of excitement to lure shoppers into scams. This con uses text messages and fake Black Friday surveys to steal valuable information from unsuspecting victims.
How the scam works
Scammers send you a text message that appears to be from a well-known chain store. As part of a Black Friday deal, the “store” offering a free product, discount, or gift card to anyone who completes a short questionnaire or survey. Of course, they explain, this is a limited time offer so you’ll need to act fast if you want to receive your gift.
If you click the link, you won’t go to the store’s official website. Instead, it will take you to a third-party website where you’ll be asked to fill out a form that asks you for personal information, such as your full name, address, email, and more. By clicking on the link, you may even download malware onto your device, giving scammers access to even more personal information. While this scam has a Black Friday twist, watch out for similar survey scams this entire holiday season.
How to avoid fake survey scams
- Know the signs of a phony text message. Unsolicited
text messages are usually not from trustworthy sources. Reputable
businesses will get your permission to send you a text before sending
anything to your inbox. Fake texts often contain suspicious-looking
links and contain typos and other errors, too.
- Watch out for rewards that sound too good to be true.
Remember that legitimate businesses run surveys to understand their
customers. They may offer a modest discount to encourage participation,
but the reward is not the focus. If someone offers you a valuable
product or gift card in exchange for completing a two-minute survey,
it’s probably a scam.
- Limited time offers could be a red flag. Scammers
often use a sense of urgency to get their victims to hand over valuable
information without thinking. If a text message says something like, “If
you complete this survey in the next 10 minutes…,” don’t let yourself
be pushed into action without really examining the message first.
- Remember that scammers conceal their identity. Many
scam surveys are very vague about their purpose and who is running
them. If you can’t figure out who or where the survey is coming from,
don’t take it.
- Do some research. If you aren’t sure about a survey, do an internet search to find out more information. Look for links to the survey on a business’s official website. You can also do a search using the survey name and the word “scam” to see if there are any reports about it being a fake.
For more information
Read the BBB Tip: Smart shopping online for more ways to stay safe online and visit BBB.org/ScamTips to familiarize yourself with common tactics.
If you’ve spotted a Black Friday scam, report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help others avoid falling victim.