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‘Win an iPhone 7’ Facebook Survey Scam

Fact-check by Hoax-SlayerPublished 2 min read

The original site is no longer online; links go to the Internet Archive copy.

What the fact-checkers found

Image: © ifeelstock/Depositphotos.com

According to a “Hot-Giveaways” post that is being shared on Facebook, you can win an iPhone 7 by liking and sharing, adding the comment “I want an iPhone7!”, and visiting a link.

However, the post is a scam. No iPhones are being given away and those who participate have no chance of winning anything at all.

If you like, share, and comment as instructed, you will help the scammers gain more victims by promoting the fraudulent post to your friends. And, if some of your friends also like, share, and comment, the fake post can spread rapidly across Facebook accumulating many new victims as it travels.

If you then click the link in the hope of claiming your prize, your will be taken to a webpage that asks you to supply your name and address details, ostensibly so that your free iPhone can be delivered. After submitting the “delivery” form, you will then be told that you must complete an offer to get your iPhone. Links to various offers will appear on the page.

These links open various third-party offer and survey websites that promise the chance to win further prizes in exchange for providing your name and contact information. But, the information you supply will be shared with site sponsors and marketing companies. So, you will soon begin receiving unwanted and annoying phone calls, text messages, emails, and letters peddling a range of dubious products and services.

The scammers who created the bogus iPhone giveaway will earn a commission each time somebody provides personal details on one of the third-party websites.

Moreover, via the bogus delivery form, the scammers also have the means to contact you directly via email or surface mail. In some cases, they may contact people and try to trick them into sending money to cover supposed delivery or processing fees for the – non-existent – free iPhone. Or they may use the contact details to try to draw victims into other types of scams.

Original source: hoax-slayer.netNo longer online, so this opens the Internet Archive copy.Open the archived copy
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