This contest scam is as old as the winter nights are long but folks won’t quit falling for it. I’ve probably warned you about it 2.4 bajillion times. However, since at least a dozen of my Facebook friends share it recently, I thought it was a good time to bring it up again. Here’s the post. It promises a free boy of food delivered to the door of everyone who shares the post. The box will contain $75 worth of groceries and a $25 coupon. Your absolute first clue is that no contest in the world is going to give a prize to everyone who shares a Facebook post. That’s potentially a few billion people. I don’t think even Adli has that many groceries. It just doesn’t make any freaking sense does it? Now, after sharing, you have to click or tap the link to “validate” your entry.
That will take you to this:
When you tap the button validate the entry, you’ll end up doing one of two thing. You’ll authorize the installation of malware onto your device, or you’ll go to a site where you input you personal information. That information will go to scammers who’ll use it to steal from you or to harass you with other scam offers.
And since you’ve already gone that extra mile and shared the post, you’ve also exposed your friends to the scam. Contests like this are always scams. ALWAYS. Please don’t share them and make sure to let anyone who does know that it’s a scam.