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ARCHIVED - Christmas shopper scam: Primark fans targeted in latest online hoax
The Irish multinational fashion retailer has shut down bogus claims it's giving away free Christmas gift bags
Black Friday and Christmas shoppers are being warned about yet another online scam snaring bargain-hunters in the run-up to the busiest shopping period of the year. Just days after a Spanish airline shut down bogus claims it was giving away 5,000 free flights for Black Friday, Primark is warning consumers that a promotion circulating on Facebook is also fraudulent.
The Irish multinational fashion retailer has been alerted to a hoax Facebook promotion aimed at enticing purchasers with the promise of a chance to win a special Primark Christmas bag.
Entitled 'Primark fans', the Facebook page asks users to share and comment on the post by November 16 in order to be in with a chance to win. However, the offer is unrelated to the retailer and its sole aim is to get hold of personal and sensitive details.
The page does not belong to Primark, its official page is facebook.com/primark, but was created on November 8 by appropriating the firm's image, logo and photos.
The offer post reads: "To celebrate Christmas this year, we're sending a special gift bag to everyone who shared and commented on 'Merry Christmas' before 16 November".
After commenting on the post, users are told that, to confirm the gift, they must "complete the validation process" and register on a page that has nothing to do with Primark's official website, although it resembles it.
The page then redirects users to another website that is not even related to the Christmas gift bag promotion, but instead offers the chance to enter a supposed prize draw for an H&M gift card worth €300, for which personal details are required.
As is always the case, because most consumer scams involve mobile phones and electronics, the public is advised to shop with official retailers and not to be enticed by deals that seem too good to be true.
Image: Primark Fans Facebook
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