An online Facebook scam is tricking social media users into thinking they will save money on Mother’s Day gifts at a major home improvement retailer.
Perhaps you’ve seen the blue and white image floating around in your Facebook news feed, promising $50 off your next purchase at Lowe’s.
Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it is. The coupon is part of an ongoing phishing scam that lures social media users into thinking they will receive $50 off their next purchase at the home improvement store.
The scam attracts vulnerable social media users into clicking the link, which then directs them to a fake Lowe’s website, followed by a prompt that solicits the user’s private information and asks them to share the coupon on their personal account.
It’s not the first time the business has dealt with fraudulent coupons making the rounds on social media. In 2015, a very similar coupon was circulated on Facebook right before Mother’s Day. Lowe’s was quick to discredit the deceptive deal.
The retailer responded to several inquiries on Facebook, discounting the validity of the most recent coupon.
“Please be careful, Bonnie. These offers are a phishing scam to gather information. They are not affiliated with Lowe’s in any way,” the company wrote on Facebook.
“These coupons are not offers extended by Lowe’s. It is a scam and Lowe’s is unable to honor the coupon,” Lowe’s wrote in another response to a Facebook user.
The Better Business Bureau offers the following tips to help protect yourself from falling for online scams:
- Don’t believe what you see.
- Legitimate businesses do not ask for credit card numbers or banking information for coupons or giveaways.
- When in doubt, do a quick web search.
- Watch out for a reward that’s too good to be true.
- Look for a mismatched subject line and email body.
You can report a scam directly to the Better Business Bureau or visit the Facebook Help Center for more information on social media scams.
