Customers Targeted by Impersonation Scam on Facebook
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Walmart is warning customers of a social media impersonation scam. The scam promises customers that they will receive a free reusable bag with a gift card. The fraudulent claim impersonates Walmart on social media
The Walmart gift bag scam encourages Facebook users to comment on and share the scam post. social media engagement helps spread the scam further.
Victims are instructed to click on a link to receive their gift bag via postal mail.
Scammers created a fake Facebook page impersonating Walmart’s branding. The scam is posted on the Facebook page which has over 23,000 followers.
The fake giveaway claims to celebrate the end of plastic bag usage for the global retailer.
All market bag scam is completely false, and the Facebook page has nothing to do with the brand. The legitimate Walmart Facebook page can be found here.
At a glance that the two pages look very similar however the real Walmart Facebook page has a blue check mark meaning it is verified and legitimate
Walmart Gift Bag Scam
“To celebrate the great news of Walmart becoming plastic bags free by the end of 2021, we are giving one of these Walmart gift-bags to everyone who has shared & commented by 7pm 24th March. Each person who does this will receive one of these gift bag full of goodies and a $75 Walmart voucher.”
Another variation of the Walmart gift bag scam states:
“To celebrate the Great news of Walmart becoming plastic bags free by the end of 2021, we are giving one of these Walmart gift-bags to every person who share & comment before Thursday @ 5pm. Each person who does this will have their bag full of goodies and a $75 voucher delivered straight to their door on Friday!”
The post contains a link to a scam webpage. The link is cloaked (disguised) so victims cannot see that the link does not take them to Walmart.com.
“This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by Walmart. We take any fraud impacting our customers seriously and continue to implement and improve upon measures designed to help guard against various consumer scams,” Walmart spokesperson Casey Staheli said according to a post on Fox News in Kansas City
Large corporations like Walmart are frequent targets of imposter schemes like this one. The company posts information about scams on their corporate website.
How to Avoid the Walmart Scam
Consumers can help avoid the Walmart gift bag scam by scrutinizing social media accounts they follow as well as websites they shop on.
- Large brands like bomber have verified identities on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Look for the blue checkmark to ensure that you’re on a legitimate brand account.
- Always be wary of any link that is shortened or disguised. Although link shorteners are used legitimately to make them easier to remember, scammers also use them to disguise their schemes.
- Use an anti-virus app to protect your phone or laptop from harmful emails and phishing links on websites. An antivirus app subscription is inexpensive. Reliable anti-virus software is kept up to date with the latest fraud scams and schemes to give you maximum protection.
