That Amazing McDonald's Deal You Saw on Facebook? It's One Big Scam
There are few things in life that are better than free food. Unfortunately, as they say, there's no such thing as a free lunch-but an online scam is making people believe otherwise.
In the latest scam to circulate on Facebook, a delicious-looking ad is claiming that McDonald's is giving away free lifetime passes for its 61st anniversary. In order to get the offer, people are supposed to post the link to their Facebook pages, in addition to sharing it in at least 5 Facebook groups. Of course, this allows the hoax to continue to spread across the social network.
Once the user clicks the link, they're prompted to take surveys, which-surprise, surprise-is another scam to get your personal information and fill your inbox with spam. Your computer could also be infected with malware-or worse.
While similar offers have also been surfacing for KFC, Wendy's and Burger King, don't be fooled: They're all hoaxes.
To avoid falling for these and any other online scams, follow the Better Business Bureau's advice:
Don't believe what you see. It's easy to steal the colors, logos and header of an established organization. Scammers can also make links look like they lead to legitimate websites and emails appear to come from a different sender.When in doubt, do a quick web search. If the survey is a scam, you may find alerts or complaints from other consumers. The organization's real website may have further information.
[via Snopes]
