Warning: That $75 Costco Coupon Circulating on Facebook Is a Scam

AntonioGuillem/iStock via Getty Images
AntonioGuillem/iStock via Getty Images / AntonioGuillem/iStock via Getty Images
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The promise of $75 to spend at Costco—especially mere weeks from Thanksgiving—is understandably hard to pass up, so it’s no surprise that a coupon advertising just that has been circulating on Facebook for the past several days.

However, ABC7 reports that Costco took to Facebook to set the record straight: It’s a scam. “While we love our fans and our members,” the company said in a post, “this offer is a SCAM, and in no way affiliated with Costco.”

According to Snopes.com, users who click the link to get the coupon are taken to website pages, which are not operated by Costco, that ask them to share their name, address, email address, date of birth, phone number, complete several surveys, and register for “Reward Offers,” which might entail filling out a credit card application or signing up for a subscription service.

With hindsight bias, the operation definitely seems suspicious—but the information it requires really isn’t much different than what we’re used to sharing on the internet. Plenty of companies offer similar coupons that you can claim through social media, and you’ve probably entered your credit card information for at least a free trial or two. Plus, when you’re accustomed to scrolling through your Facebook feed about as fast as your thumbs can go, it’s not hard to overlook the misspelled words or shoddy logos that should be red flags.

If you’ve already clicked on the fake Costco coupon or think you’ve been targeted by phishing or scamming, the company recommends that you contact costcocare@costco.com or report the attempt to the Federal Trade Commission here.

Worried you might be an easy target for cyber scams? Check out these seven pieces of personal information you should think twice about sharing on social media.

[h/t ABC7]