Don’t fall for this fake Costco coupon

November 19, 2019

By Mark Jones

Scams and hoaxes going viral on Facebook is nothing new. We even saw an old school hoax brought back from the archives recently on the social media site. Tap or click here to learn about this blast from the past hoax.

That’s an example of scammers playing on user’s fears but not posing a real threat. We’re not always so lucky.

Now, another scam is making the rounds on the social media giant. This one promises huge savings at Costco. Keep reading and we’ll tell you what all the commotion is about.

Yes, it is too good to be true

The old saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” is 100% accurate here. We’re talking about a “coupon” that is making the rounds on Facebook.

Over the past couple of weeks, tons of people have been posting a coupon that can supposedly be used to take $75 off your next purchase at Costco. Despite Amazon dominating the retail market, Costco is still very popular. Tap or click here to find out why.

When it comes to this Costco offer, don’t believe it — it’s actually a scam. The fake coupon looks like this:

If you see fake posts like the coupon shown above in your News Feed, report it to Facebook. That could help stop it from spreading more widely.

Here are the steps to report a post:

• Click the three dots in the top-right corner of the post.
• Click Find Support or Report Post in the menu of options that will pop up.
• Select the option that best describes the issue. like False News or Spam and follow the on-screen instructions.

Because the fake coupon is still spreading on Facebook, Costco publicly warned people about it. The company posted on its own Facebook page that while it loves its fans and members, the coupon is a scam and is in no way affiliated with Costco. You can see the post below:

So, if the coupon isn’t real, why would scammers make it go viral?

Is this another like-farming scam?

Many times when you see coupons or ways to win free stuff on Facebook, to access the offer you need to share the post and enter personal information. Sometimes you might have to click on a link to get to a website that has the coupon for you to download.

See where this is going?

Scams like this could lead to numerous problems. For example, the link you have to click to get the coupon could take you to a malicious site that will infect your device with malware or ransomware.

Related: Classic Facebook hoax goes viral on Instagram

Another way to fall victim to one of these scams is by sharing personal information. By putting personal details out there, a scammer could create fake accounts in your name and use them to spread more scams.

That’s why it’s important to be able to spot scam posts like this before it’s too late. Here are a few suggestions to help avoid like-farming scams:

• Share cautiously – Be careful what you like and share on Facebook. Don’t click “like” on everything, especially if it seems like a suspicious post.
• Do you know where it came from? – Pay attention to who posted the offer. If it’s someone you don’t recognize, don’t click on it or repost it.
• Are you pressured to like or share the offer? – If a post promises things for liking or sharing, there’s a good chance it’s a scam.

It’s official: 2019 is on track to be the worst year yet for your security. There’s a new data breach around every corner! Your phone, computer and other smart devices are constantly bombarded by dangerous malware.

So how can you stay safe? Subscribe to Kim’s free Fraud & Security Alerts newsletter. You’ll learn about data breaches, recalled products and security alerts before anyone else. Subscribe now to stay safe with up-to-the-minute security alerts.