Scammers are exploiting the Sam's Club and Yeti brands, running deceptive ads on Facebook and Instagram claiming to offer free or $1 Yeti bags or backpacks. This scam uses fake surveys and leads victims to a fraudulent website, giveawayglory.com. On this site, hidden in the terms and conditions, is a scheme to trap people into expensive subscriptions.
Here's how the scam works: the ads promise a free Yeti bag from Sam's Club, but once you click, you're taken to a survey. This survey seems harmless, but it eventually redirects you to giveawayglory.com. At this point, you're prompted to enter personal information and credit card details to claim your "prize."
In the fine print on giveawayglory.com, it reveals the true nature of this scam. They lure you in with promises of a $250 gift card and access to a "Consumer Direct Savings" club, but there's a catch. By entering the giveaway, you're agreeing to a membership fee of $9.97, which quickly escalates. If you don't win the initial contest, you get billed again after two days, and this pattern continues every 30 days, charging $125.29 monthly. This fee is supposedly for increased chances to win future contests, which is just a ploy to drain your bank account.
The terms and conditions further explain that you can cancel your membership anytime by calling or emailing their support. However, the process is intentionally cumbersome to discourage cancellations. Here's the critical contact information buried in their terms:
- Call (844) 992-0001 to cancel or modify your subscription.
- Support Email: support@giveawayglory.com.
- Or really, just call your credit card company.
By clicking "complete checkout," you not only agree to their full terms but also to try out a fitness app for free for 45 days. If you don't cancel within that period, you'll be charged $125.29.
It's essential to recognize that legitimate companies like Sam's Club and Yeti do not run giveaways in this manner. Scammers use these trusted names without permission to lend credibility to their schemes. They craft professional-looking ads and websites to deceive even the most cautious users.
If you come across these ads, report them to Facebook and Instagram immediately. It's also a good idea to notify Sam's Club and Yeti, as they can take action against the misuse of their brand names. Additionally, always be wary of deals that seem too good to be true, especially if they ask for personal or financial information upfront.
To help others avoid falling victim to this scam, share information and stay informed by reading credible sources about ongoing scams. Here are some valuable links:
1. www.nytimes.com/2023/02/12/te...
2. www.washingtonpost.com/techno...
3. www.forbes.com/sites/kateofla...
4. www.consumerreports.org/consu...
5. www.bbb.org/article/news-rele...
6. www.cnet.com/personal-finance...
7. www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2...
By spreading awareness, we can reduce the impact of these scams and protect others from falling into these traps.
Keywords for my video tags: Sam's Club scam, Yeti bag scam, Facebook scam, Instagram scam, giveawayglory.com, fake survey scam, online scam awareness, how to avoid scams, internet fraud, social media scams.
Note: This description was written with the support of ChatGPT. If scammers are using AI to scam people, I'm going to use some AI in my own scam-busting tactics here on my personal RU-vid channel to save potential victims. Also, the thumbnail design was inspired by Steve Ram's RU-vid channel.
21 май 2024
