Beware of the Kwik Trip 61st anniversary gift card giveaway circulating on social media, it’s a scam. Kwik Trip, the popular convenience store isn’t offering any gift cards in celebration of its 61st anniversary.
The giveaway offer which looks real at first, has all the red flags of a scam. Firstly, it contains bad grammar, it isn’t posted on Kwik Trip social media pages, and it contains a suspicious looking link that isn’t related to the brand.
What Is the Kwik Trip 61st Anniversary Scam Gift Card Offer?
It’s a phishing scam disguised as a legit gift card giveaway offer. It lures users to a malicious website with the sole purpose of getting their personal and financial information.
Here’s how it works, users are made to provide some details while completing a dubious survey. The offer makes it sound as though completing the survey will qualify you for a free Kwik Trip gift card. However, the survey contains sensitive questions such as; pet’s name, mother’s maiden name, where were you born, e.t.c These information when linked to your name and email is dangerous.
Obviously, the real objective of this scam is to get your personal and financial details which would be sold to the dark web. Of course, there’s no gift card even after completing the survey and sharing the link as people are being made to do.
Spotting The Red Flags
RED FLAG #1: The giveaway posts are not posted on Kwik Trip social media pages or official website
RED FLAG #2: Comments from people who claimed to receive the gift cards are not real. Clicking on the profiles show that it’s a new social media account with little or no activity.
RED FLAG #3: The registration link redirects people to numerous unsecured websites that do not have SSL certificate and may try to install apps and programs into computer and mobile devices without your knowledge and consent. These apps and programs are often infested malware that pose a threat and risk to owners. Often times when people try to access the websites some browsers give a security warning. (see image below)
What Should You Do If You Receive this scam giveaway text?
The safest response is very simple.
Do not click the link.
Do not answer the questionnaire.
Do not provide your name, address, phone number, email address, passwords or other personal information.
Do not forward the message to friends.
Delete it and report the message or post through the platform where you received it.
If the message came from someone you know, you can also contact them separately and let them know their account may have been sending suspicious messages. Don’t click the suspicious link just to investigate.
And please don’t be tempted by comments from other people saying that they “got their gift card.” Fake comments and social proof are commonly used to make questionable promotions appear genuine.
What If You Already Entered Your Password?
This is where you need to act quickly.
If you entered your Facebook password or another password into the suspicious website, change that password immediately using the legitimate website or app rather than returning through the message you received.
If you use that same password anywhere else, change it there too.
Turn on two factor authentication where available and review your account for anything unusual, such as unfamiliar login activity, messages you did not send or changes to your account information.
If the suspicious website asked you for payment information, contact your bank or card provider through its official contact method and explain what happened.
Most importantly, don’t let embarrassment stop you from taking action. These scams are specifically designed to make ordinary people believe they are looking at a genuine promotion.
Tips on Spotting Fake Giveaways and Prizes
The first step you should take is finding out if the giveaway has been posted on the company’s social media accounts. If it hasn’t, the giveaway is likely a scam.
It’s a scam if You’re Asked To Pay an Upfront Fee. Legit giveaways don’t ask for any kind of fee, whether shipping or handling fee.
Scan the giveaway post for bad grammar, missing words, or spelling mistakes. Any company can make a minor mistake when typing out a win notification. However, multiple or glaring errors are a bad sign.
Are there reviews or posts about the giveaway online? It’s common for various news outlet to carry information about legit giveaways. By searching for reviews online you could also come across warning posts or complaints.