We’ve previously reported on bogus free gift card scams on Facebook, and bogus free gift card SPAM emails, well now there is another tact that scammers are using by offering free gift cards: text messaging.
It goes like this, you receive an unsolicited text message purporting to be from Wal-Mart and offering free gift cards under a customer appreciation program. You call the number in the text message and they ask for your personal information, possibly including your social security number, and a credit card to pay for shipping and handling to send the gift card to you.
What they are really doing is harvesting your sensitive personal information, possibly for identity theft, and charging you many times the quoted shipping and handling cost for a “free” gift card you will never receive.
I am really scratching my head as to why people are so gullible? Who in their right mind thinks that companies profit from giving away free $1,000 gift cards? Why don’t people use more common sense about things like this?
If something seems a bit too good to be true, at least Google it or Bing it (or Bingle it) before you go off and give some unknown person your sensitive personal and financial information?
Agreed! i received one, but I recently entered a “scholarship” contest (the legitimacy of the scholarship is not at issue) that was basically a gift card give away so I had to do a double take. I entered for some store(s) (don’t want to give spammers any tips!), but not Target and this text purported to be from Target. I googled the number and that answered that!