‘Fraudulent’ Facebook offer targets IGA customers

This article is more than one year old.
Published on April 15, 2020 at 18:30
2 min read
By AFP USA

Thousands of Facebook users in North America have shared a post that claims supermarket chain IGA is giving away $100 vouchers. The offer is a fabrication and a “social media scam” according to a statement from the grocery company.

“IGA has announced that everyone who shares this link will be sent a $100 Voucher for its anniversary. TODAY ONLY,” the posts claim.

They direct users to a website, archived here, which is not affiliated with IGA.

Screenshot of the fradulent IGA offer as it appears on Facebook taken on April 14, 2020

When users click on the site, it asks them to answer a series of questions and seeks to collect personal information.

Screenshot of the fake IGA website taken on April 14, 2020

Eventually it prompts users to share the link on Facebook with “Thanks!” written in the comments field.

Screenshot of the fake IGA website taken on April 14, 2020

However, the offer is fraudulent, according to Ashley Page, Vice President of Communications for IGA USA.

“Currently we don’t have coupons that we are putting out,” Page said, explaining that the supply chain was too unreliable to make guarantees amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

IGA also warned about the scam, which it said originated with its Australian brand, on its official Facebook page.

AFP Fact Check has debunked other fake “free offers” on Facebook, including non-existent coupons from global retail giant Walmart and wholesaler Costco.

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