Amazon is selling its various gift cards through social media ads. Alert! You are being scammed.

Consumers are always eager and looking for various benefits to ease their lives. But this may encourage fraudsters to manipulate and make people their victims. 

Recently, social media is flooded with ads offering free Amazon gift cards. In one such ad, it was instructed to like and follow the social media page and then tagging friends to avail the gift cards. The ad looks appealing and presents an easy and hassle-free opportunity to the consumers to own Amazon gift cards. 

However, Fact Crescendo found these ads suspicious and fraudulent. Amazon had instructed its consumers to buy gift cards directly from their website in a secured way. 

What’s the claim? 

The ad reads, “GIVEAWAY ALERT! We’re excited to announce a FREE £20 Amazon Gift Voucher Giveaway! Here’s how you can enter:

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It’s that simple! Get ready to shop your favorite items on Amazon for FREE!

Note: The winner must be able to present identification before the prize will be paid out.

Hurry up! The giveaway ends soon!”

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Fact Check- 

Amazon has clearly mentioned that it is wise and safe to buy gift cards directly from their website. It has mentioned the procedure to avail gift cards by visiting the website and then choosing the ‘Gift Card’ option. After this, the consumer can browse through several gift card options and select the desired ones. You can check various gift cards here as well. 

Further, it mentioned that the gift cards can also be availed in the participating retail stores throughout the U.S. These gift cards are available in $25, $50, and $100 denominations at participating grocery, drug, and convenience stores throughout the U.S. At selected stores, you can also choose a variable denomination card, which can be loaded with any amount between $25 and $500.

Read here about safely redeeming the gift cards. 

To alert its customers, Amazon brought to light a few of the ways how a person can be scammed with gift cards. The scam involves a call from the higher authority or boss at your workplace asking you to buy an Amazon gift card which will be used by the company for incentives, charity donations. Family emergency scams, lottery scams, phone calls from some people claiming to be from Amazon are a few other ways of scamming. 

Another website pointed out that customers are being scammed through emails as well. A customer may receive an email with a link to avail free Amazon gift cards. Clicking on the link will download a malware virus which has the potential to steal the customers password, bank account information and other personal details. These emails generally lure people about winning an award for a contest that they have never entered. These mails also offer free money, gift cards, products etc. which will look very appealing and tempting.

The Cyber Crime unit of Delhi police presented safety precautions to keep consumers safe from these kinds of scams. It instructed them to remain careful from the emails asking for money or assistance to help someone known. These emails generally look real but have minor errors which are easily overlooked. If someone is trying to force you to buy on an urgent basis citing that the offer is ending very soon, then you need to be alert and check the credentials of the caller.

Conclusion: 

Fact Crescendo found the claim to be false. Amazon had instructed its customers to buy gift cards from the website directly or from the authorized retail stores. It has warned against scams regarding the free distribution of gift cards through emails, calls, and social media ads.