Scam Warning: Bunnings / Delonghi Coffee Machine Scam Targets Bargain Hunters
- Replies 23
In recent days, a new scam has emerged, targeting unsuspecting coffee lovers and bargain hunters in Australia. The scam involves the offer of a Delonghi Coffee Machine being sold through Bunnings at a 99.65% discount, enticing customers to purchase the product for a few pieces of spare change. Understandably, this appealed to many social media users, either looking to own the highly-rated machine themselves or resell it for a profit.
The Delonghi Magnifica S Coffee Machine featured in the scam advertisement retails for $849 and boasts a 4.7-star rating from hundreds of happy customers. It’s no surprise then that many Australians jumped at the chance to grab this luxury machine for a 99.65% discount. For $3, it essentially becomes the cost of a cheeseburger from Macca’s.
However, upon closer inspection, it has been revealed that the offer is a complete fraud, designed to deceive customers into providing their personal and financial information.
Thank you to member Edie M. for bringing this to our attention. With permission, we are sharing this information to hopefully prevent anyone else from falling victim to this cruel scheme.
According to Edie, ‘it purports to be a warehouse overstock clear out, in partnership with Bunnings, selling coffee makers for $3.00.’ Sounds like a great deal, if it were real. This ad can be seen on various social media platforms including Facebook and TikTok. We’ve included the screenshot that member Edie M. provided below.
In the screenshot, you can see there are 270 comments. You may be thinking that they would give away the scam but apparently, the scammers already planned for this.
‘Alarm bells were overridden by all the comments, (which I now realise were fake), along the lines of "tried to get it in store, but BUNNINGS TOLD ME (clever, that) it has to be online.”
Others commented how they had bought an earlier older model recently, & this was so much better. (Again, this makes you assume the person received & was happily using it).’ said Edie M.
‘I thought it's only $3, there's probably a large shipping fee to help recoup costs. Nope. Just $3.00, (but no PayPal), [you must] enter your card details.’ he continued.
‘I then received an email to say congratulations for subscribing to Spendometer, a program that gives me the tools to track my spending & budget for the future. The charges will be from a company based in Czechoslovakia.’ If that didn’t sound suspicious enough, there was no mention of the coffee machine or a parcel tracking number.
But wait, it gets worse. ‘Then it says after 14th Feb, my SUBSCRIPTION will increase from $3.00 to $116.09 per month.’
‘Here's the kicker, that's NOT even the scam!’
So what is the scam?
‘They are quite ready for the angry email cancelling the subscription, the scam is all about getting your card & personal details with which they can generate (quite often through a 3rd party) purchases & subscriptions. After all, you gave them your name, address, email & telephone number, as well the authorisation number ACTIVATED BY YOUR OWN BANK for the credit card transaction.’
‘They are gambling on the fact that whilst 99% will cancel the subscription, maybe only 50% will contact their bank before any damage is done. Even if the figure is 80%, it's all a numbers game, with people being caught in the net.’
Even after I contact the bank, deactivate my existing card, get a new one etc, they can still generate money by selling my personal details and mobile number to other scammers. It will be interesting to see how many robocalls I get in the next little while.’
We are beyond grateful to member Edie M. for bringing this to our attention and urge all members to be on the lookout for similar scams.
It's important to remain vigilant and do your due diligence when shopping online, especially when an offer seems too good to be true. Scammers are constantly finding new ways to exploit unsuspecting victims, and it's essential to stay informed and aware to avoid falling prey to their schemes. While it can be tempting to take advantage of a seemingly great deal, always take the time to research the offer and the seller before making a purchase. With continued awareness and vigilance, we can all work together to stay safe and protect ourselves from these types of scams.
Unfortunately, even the most vigilant among us can still fall victim to these schemes. If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a scam, alert the authorities immediately and report it here.
Scamwatch also offers resources to protect yourself from cybercriminals; all of the information you need can be read here.
Interested in reading about similar scams? You may like to read more about:
ALDI shoppers tricked by the promise of free groceries and gift cards,
Social media posts offering free damaged TVs.
Members, please share this information with your nearest and dearest to keep them safe. Have you encountered this scam before? Let us know in the comments below.
The Delonghi Magnifica S Coffee Machine featured in the scam advertisement retails for $849 and boasts a 4.7-star rating from hundreds of happy customers. It’s no surprise then that many Australians jumped at the chance to grab this luxury machine for a 99.65% discount. For $3, it essentially becomes the cost of a cheeseburger from Macca’s.
However, upon closer inspection, it has been revealed that the offer is a complete fraud, designed to deceive customers into providing their personal and financial information.
Thank you to member Edie M. for bringing this to our attention. With permission, we are sharing this information to hopefully prevent anyone else from falling victim to this cruel scheme.
According to Edie, ‘it purports to be a warehouse overstock clear out, in partnership with Bunnings, selling coffee makers for $3.00.’ Sounds like a great deal, if it were real. This ad can be seen on various social media platforms including Facebook and TikTok. We’ve included the screenshot that member Edie M. provided below.
The ad was not posted on the official Bunnings page. Image Credit: SDC member, Edie M. (provided).
In the screenshot, you can see there are 270 comments. You may be thinking that they would give away the scam but apparently, the scammers already planned for this.
‘Alarm bells were overridden by all the comments, (which I now realise were fake), along the lines of "tried to get it in store, but BUNNINGS TOLD ME (clever, that) it has to be online.”
Others commented how they had bought an earlier older model recently, & this was so much better. (Again, this makes you assume the person received & was happily using it).’ said Edie M.
‘I thought it's only $3, there's probably a large shipping fee to help recoup costs. Nope. Just $3.00, (but no PayPal), [you must] enter your card details.’ he continued.
‘I then received an email to say congratulations for subscribing to Spendometer, a program that gives me the tools to track my spending & budget for the future. The charges will be from a company based in Czechoslovakia.’ If that didn’t sound suspicious enough, there was no mention of the coffee machine or a parcel tracking number.
But wait, it gets worse. ‘Then it says after 14th Feb, my SUBSCRIPTION will increase from $3.00 to $116.09 per month.’
‘Here's the kicker, that's NOT even the scam!’
So what is the scam?
‘They are quite ready for the angry email cancelling the subscription, the scam is all about getting your card & personal details with which they can generate (quite often through a 3rd party) purchases & subscriptions. After all, you gave them your name, address, email & telephone number, as well the authorisation number ACTIVATED BY YOUR OWN BANK for the credit card transaction.’
‘They are gambling on the fact that whilst 99% will cancel the subscription, maybe only 50% will contact their bank before any damage is done. Even if the figure is 80%, it's all a numbers game, with people being caught in the net.’
Even after I contact the bank, deactivate my existing card, get a new one etc, they can still generate money by selling my personal details and mobile number to other scammers. It will be interesting to see how many robocalls I get in the next little while.’
We are beyond grateful to member Edie M. for bringing this to our attention and urge all members to be on the lookout for similar scams.
It's important to remain vigilant and do your due diligence when shopping online, especially when an offer seems too good to be true. Scammers are constantly finding new ways to exploit unsuspecting victims, and it's essential to stay informed and aware to avoid falling prey to their schemes. While it can be tempting to take advantage of a seemingly great deal, always take the time to research the offer and the seller before making a purchase. With continued awareness and vigilance, we can all work together to stay safe and protect ourselves from these types of scams.
Unfortunately, even the most vigilant among us can still fall victim to these schemes. If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a scam, alert the authorities immediately and report it here.
Scamwatch also offers resources to protect yourself from cybercriminals; all of the information you need can be read here.
Interested in reading about similar scams? You may like to read more about:
ALDI shoppers tricked by the promise of free groceries and gift cards,
Social media posts offering free damaged TVs.
Members, please share this information with your nearest and dearest to keep them safe. Have you encountered this scam before? Let us know in the comments below.
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I also contacted Bunnings on Messenger on the 5th February about it and was told they were dealing with it. Haven't actually seen it online since then. Why would people actually believe you could get this for $3?
and asked if he really is that easy to scam
