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URGENT: ALDI warns shoppers about a new hoax that has scammed over 4,000 customers
As people are struggling to afford necessities amid price hikes, cruel fraudsters are taking it as an opportunity to lure them into falling for a scam that promises to take a little burden off their shoulders.
Australians have been urged to be cautious about a new sophisticated hoax targeting ALDI customers.
The scam, which has circulated on Facebook, claims to give shoppers a box of free groceries, as well as the chance to win gift vouchers worth $500.
More than 4,000 customers have fallen for the fake promotion, which has amassed over 15,000 likes, comments, and shares on the platform.
If they are asking for your credit card details, stay away from them! Source: PCS
The post was created by a bogus ‘ALDI Fans’ Facebook account, which used the grocery giant’s famous logo as its profile photo to convince users that they are dealing with the genuine retailer.
Heart-wrenchingly, cybercriminals are targeting vulnerable Australians who may be struggling to afford groceries as the cost of living escalates.
The post read: ‘With the cost of living going through the roof, we thought we would help out this summer.’
After a user interacts with the post, they are contacted by the fake ALDI page and are asked for their private details through an external site. They are then asked to cover the shipping fee of their free box, giving the scammers access to their credit card information.
Thousands of ALDI shoppers have commented on the post in hopes to get their hands on the free groceries, with several detailing why the free groceries would mean a lot to them.
The scammer’s Facebook post. Source: 7News
‘I would love to get this as living on one income with the price increases is hard.’ shared one.
‘This would help heaps in a household of five. I need help feeding my sick dad who I care for too.’ another added.
‘This would be great for my family right now.’ a third wrote
A spokesperson for ALDI has addressed the issue and urged shoppers to be vigilant.
‘We encourage Australians to always remain wary of any offers seen on unofficial social media pages or websites and to report any scams to Scamwatch,’ the spokesperson said.
The ACCC’s Scamwatch explained that phishing scams–such as this ALDI Facebook post–work by manipulating consumers into believing they’re dealing with a genuine retailer.
‘Phishing messages are designed to look genuine, and often copy the format used by the organisation the scammer is pretending to represent, including their branding and logo,’ it explained.
‘They will take you to a fake website that looks like the real deal but has a slightly different address. For example, if the legitimate site is “www.realbank.com.au”, the scammer may use an address like “www.reallbank.com”.’
‘If you provide the scammer with your details online or over the phone, they will use them to carry out fraudulent activities, such as using your credit cards and stealing your money.’
If you ever encounter a dodgy post on social media, please report it here. One of the best ways to combat scammers is by spreading awareness and warning people about their seemingly genuine offers, so feel free to share suspicious messages or emails in the Scam Watch forum too.
What are your thoughts on this latest scam? Have you stumbled across the post mentioned? Let us know in the comments below.
Learn more about phishing scams by watching the video below.
Source: iluli by Mike Lamb