According to a post currently being shared on Facebook, US-based supermarket chain, Wegmans is giving away $80 coupons as a way of celebrating its 100th anniversary.
The post features an image depicting one of the $80 coupons. Supposedly, clicking the post allows you to visit a website and claim your free coupon.
Despite its appearance, however, the post has no connection to Wegmans. People who participate in the supposed giveaway have no chance whatsoever of getting the promised Wegmans coupon. No coupons are being given away.
In fact, the post is yet another anniversary giveaway scam. It is designed to trick you into submitting your personal details on scam websites.
Here’s a screenshot of one of the scam posts:
If you click on the post, a fake coupon-claim website will load in your browser. To make it appear legitimate, the website includes the Wegmans logo and first asks you to complete a survey about the store.
The site even tacks on several comments from users claiming that they have already received their coupons. At first glance, the comments look like genuine responses from Facebook users. But, in fact, the comments are fake and do not come from Facebook.
Next, you will be instructed to click a Facebook “share” button and then add the comment “Thanks #Wegmans”. But, alas, by sharing and commenting, you are further promoting the scam and helping the scammers gain more victims.
After sharing and commenting, you will be prompted to click on a “verify” button. But, instead of giving you access to the promised coupon, a second dodgy website will open in your browser. The site claims that you can win further prizes by providing your name and contact details via a site sign-up form.
But, by doing so, you will actually be giving the site permission to share your information with various “site sponsors” and marketing companies. So, you will soon be inundated with unwanted phone calls, text messages, emails, and letters that try to convince you to buy a range of decidedly dodgy products and services.
And, of course, you will never get your $80 Wegmans coupon, which never existed to begin with.
For the record, Wegmans was founded in 1916, so it is 103 years old in 2019, not 100 as claimed in the scam post.
The scammers who create these fake Facebook giveaways earn money every time someone submits their information on one of the linked websites.
Giveaway scams like this are very common on Facebook. If one crosses your News Feed, don’t be tempted to participate. You have no chance of winning anything. And, your participation helps scammers make money and exposes your friends and family to the scam as well.
Don’t do it, not even “just in case” it’s real!
Importance Notice
After considerable thought and with an ache in my heart, I have decided that the time has come to close down the Hoax-Slayer website.These days, the site does not generate enough revenue to cover expenses, and I do not have the financial resources to sustain it going forward.
Moreover, I now work long hours in a full-time and physically taxing job, so maintaining and managing the website and publishing new material has become difficult for me.
And finally, after 18 years of writing about scams and hoaxes, I feel that it is time for me to take my fingers off the keyboard and focus on other projects and pastimes.
When I first started Hoax-Slayer, I never dreamed that I would still be working on the project all these years later or that it would become such an important part of my life. It's been a fantastic and engaging experience and one that I will always treasure.
I hope that my work over the years has helped to make the Internet a little safer and thwarted the activities of at least a few scammers and malicious pranksters.
A Big Thank You
I would also like to thank all of those wonderful people who have supported the project by sharing information from the site, contributing examples of scams and hoaxes, offering suggestions, donating funds, or helping behind the scenes.I would especially like to thank David White for his tireless contribution to the Hoax-Slayer Facebook Page over many years. David's support has been invaluable, and I can not thank him enough.
Closing Date
Hoax-Slayer will still be around for a few weeks while I wind things down. The site will go offline on May 31, 2021. While I will not be publishing any new posts, you can still access existing material on the site until the date of closure.Thank you, one and all!
Brett Christensen,
Hoax-Slayer
