‘Free Kohl’s $75 Coupon’ Post is a Scam

Outline:
Post being shared on Facebook claims Kohl’s is giving everyone a free coupon valued at $75 as a means of celebrating its anniversary.

Brief Analysis:
The post is not associated with Kohl’s and participants will not receive any coupons. The post is a scam designed to trick you into spamming your friends and submitting your personal information on suspect survey websites.

Example:

Detailed Analysis:
According to a post that is being shared far and wide via Facebook, you can click to get a free $75 coupon from US department store chain Kohl’s.  Supposedly, the company is giving EVERYONE a $75 coupon to celebrate its anniversary.

The post promises one coupon per person and includes an image depicting the coupon. Text on the coupon claims that you will get $75 off any Kohl’s purchase of $80 or more.

However, the post is fraudulent. It is not associated with Kohl’s and participants will not receive the promised coupon. The post is a scam designed to trick you into first spamming your friends with the same scam post and then supplying your personal information on dodgy third party websites.

By participating, you are effectively promoting the fraudulent post on behalf of the scammers and exposing your friends to the scam as well.

And, even after you complete the steps, you still won’t get your coupon. Instead, clicking the claim button takes you to a second webpage that is obscured by a popup window. The popup claims that you must verify your claim by clicking a link and participating in an online survey. The popup contains a list of links for you to choose from.

The links open various websites that promise the chance to win prizes in exchange for supplying your name and address, email address, and phone numbers. This material will be shared with marketing firms and you will soon begin receiving unwanted and annoying phone calls, emails, letters, and text messages that try to sell you various products and services.

Meanwhile, the scammers who created the fake Kohl’s coupon promotion will earn commissions each and every time people divulge their mobile number or other details on one of the linked websites.  And, even after ‘verifying your entry’ as instructed, you will never get to claim the Kohl’s coupon, which never existed in the first place.

Versions of this Kohl’s free coupon scam have been appearing on Facebook since at least 2016.

Scams like this one continue to be very common on Facebook. Don’t get caught! Be wary of any Facebook Page or post that promises free store vouchers, coupons, or gift cards just for sharing and participating in surveys.

Fake Kohl’s Coupon Give Away Page