The free $100 ALDI promo coupon appearing on Facebook is actually a scam and users can lose a lot more than $100 if they fall victim to such schemes.
Users were said to get the $100 coupon if they spent more than $120 and completed two simple steps online.
The sketchy promo linked users to a Facebook page camouflaged as the official page of ALDI, which even sported the company's logo. The advertisement promised users the $100 coupon if they shared the ad with friends on Facebook and left a comment.
However, even after sharing the ad and leaving a comment, the users did not receive the coupon as promised. Users were asked by the scammers to give personal details, such as the participant's name, address, phone number and the like. Moreover, users did not receive the coupon even after giving the required information.
The scam directed users to sign up for credit cards and other subscriptions before they would qualify for the coupon.
"All in all, trying to claim that 'free' $100 ALDI coupon is likely going to end up costing you a lot more than $100," wrote Snopes.
Such schemes are a lucrative business for scammers who steal information, resulting in identity theft.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says people should not get tricked just by seeing the company logo since these are easily available online and can be used by con artists to make their scam more legitimate.
Some scams also create links that look legitimate. Many customers believe that they are being directed to a company's official website. However, emails normally come from different users or scammers.
Online security experts suggest that people should check details about an ongoing promotion if they find it even slightly untrustworthy. Legitimate businesses will never ask for banking information or credit card details.
BBB also explains that promo ads, such as that of the latest ALDI $100 coupon, are too good to be true. Such ads should always be checked first before participants give out any details associated with the promo.
Photo: Mike Mozart | Flickr
