The attractive offers on social media are tempting: win a brand new product with just a simple comment! We come across such promises more and more often, for example on Facebook. Whether it's a brand new car or a tiny house that can't be sold "due to minor scratches" - fraudsters pull out all the stops to lure their victims into a trap.

It starts on Facebook

It often starts inconspicuously: a post on Facebook promises a wonderful competition. Users should only comment on a post for the chance to win a big prize. The status post says “ We have 5 mini houses that we cannot sell due to minor scratches. Since it is still in good condition, we decided to give it away to everyone who wrote “Thanks”. The winner will be contacted directly by the team. Good luck!"

Screenshot Facebook with "We have 5 mini houses that we cannot sell due to minor scratches. Since it is still in good condition, we decided to give it away to everyone who wrote “Thanks”. The winner will be contacted directly by the team. Good luck!"
Screenshot: Facebook

But who is actually behind these promises? And what happens if you enter the competition?

The truth behind the pictures: competition or fraud?

Careful research reveals the dark truth. The images used for the alleged competition often come from external sources. But who are the fraudsters?

Unknown identity and unexplained connections

It often remains unclear which company or individual is behind the competition. There is no imprint, no postal address, no contact options on the “info page” on Facebook, let alone terms and conditions of participation - all things that are required by law for sites used for commercial purposes. Instead, there are often strange references, such as the term “advertising agency”, which raise more questions than they answer.

Screenshot of the information page on Facebook
Screenshot of the information page on Facebook

The dangerous click: the trap closes

From the tiny house to the Ikea gift card

Only when users want to register to take part does the true nature of the competition reveal itself. Clicking on the link leads to a page that is suddenly connected to Ikea. Instead of the promised tiny house, there is now a 500 euro gift card.

Screenshot of the registration page
Screenshot of the registration page

Another registration page contains a legal notice with a UK address - all indicators that something is wrong with the competition.

The personal data in the sights of the fraudsters

The price for participation? Personal Data. Users’ full names, their email addresses – all of this data is worth its weight in gold for fraudsters. And they are often resold. We repeatedly warn against disclosing personal data in dubious competition offers.

Conclusion: A competition that has its price

A scratched tiny house, a 500 euro gift card - whatever the supposed competition promises, the real prize is the participants' personal data. It is important to always be careful and check the seriousness of such offers in order not to fall into the trap of fraudsters.

Join us in protecting our online community! Download the following sharepic and share it on your Facebook feed or stories. The more people we reach, the safer our digital environment becomes. Always remember: think first, then click!

MIMIKAMA

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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )