Facebook scam: Get a Costco Gift Card for FREE!
Facebook scammers are once again exploiting ignorant victims with claims of a free gift card giveaway on the social network. You cannot get a free voucher to Costco, the largest membership warehouse club chain in the US; the story is false.
This version says something along the lines of "Get a Costco Gift Card for FREE! (limited time only)" followed by a link to a fraudulent website. It also has the description "Costco is currently giving away $100.00 gift cards to all Facebook users!", according to Sophos. As you can see in the screenshot above, the messages include a thumbnail image of a Costco Cash Card, but that doesn't mean it's legitimate.
Instead of getting a gift card, you'll be told to share the link with all of your Facebook friends. The webpage will then tell you that you've somehow won the gift card. Finally, you'll be asked to complete an online survey, but you'll never see your supposed prize.
The scammers' goal is to drive more traffic towards certain sites. This is how the scammer earns his or her money: a commission for every survey completed, every product purchased, and/or every account compromised. They also use them to spread malware and obtain personal information.
As a general word of caution, don't click on everything your Facebook friends share on the social network. If you see a scam like this one, report it. Then go check your own Wall to make sure you're not spreading the scam; the sooner you clean it up and Unlike any relevant Pages, the better. You can also contact Facebook Security if you'd like to.
See also:
- Facebook virus or account hacked? Here's how to fix it.
- Facebook releases official Guide to Facebook Security
- Experts: Facebook crime is on the rise
- Sex sells: Men fall for Facebook scams more than women
- Researchers invade Facebook with socialbots, grab 250GB of data
- Facebook Immune System checks 25 billion actions every day