Consumer Protection has warned people entering competitions on Facebook that they could be targeted by scammers.
The Agency said it had found competitions being run by legitimate Western Australian businesses on their Facebook pages were being hijacked by scammers who created a bogus page using a similar or only slightly modified name of the real business.
Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Gary Newcombe said competition entrants were promised the possibility of winning a prize if they shared, liked or commented on the competition post and “that’s when the scammers strike”.
“Entrants then receive a message from the fake profile saying they have won but they need to register their details by clicking on a link,” Mr Newcombe said.
“The link goes to a fake website confirming the win but the ‘winners’ must provide their personal and financial details first to get the prize,” he said.
“Competitions targeted in recent months are mostly run by tourism and hospitality businesses and include hotels, resorts, restaurants, bars and breweries.”
Mr Newcombe said these businesses were being hit with a double whammy.
“Operators in this industry are already struggling with the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, so now they have to contend with social media scammers disrupting the promotions that aim to boost their business,” he said.
“Our warning is for people who receive these ‘congratulations, you’re a winner’ messages to be very suspicious and check that the message is from the actual business,” Mr Newcombe said.
