Lidl shoppers warned over gift card scam email

LIDL shoppers have been warned to avoid falling for a new email scam that promises customers a voucher in exchange for filling out a survey and handing over their bank details. 

As part of the scam, customers are told that a receipt from a purchase made in 2020 is the winning entry in a prize draw – but the email is not from an official Lidl employee.

The scammers then tell the target that they have a Lidl voucher waiting for them.

In order to collect the voucher, customers are asked to fill out a short questionnaire.

“You will immediately be given the opportunity to set up your groceries voucher free of charge so that you can use it right after,” the email said, according to accounts published on Facebook. 

If you think you have fallen for the scam, you should contact your bank immediately and report it on the Action Fraud website.

Lidl has previously advised that customers should take a moment before responding to an email, text message or social media post that claims to be from the supermarket and is asking for personal information.

How to protect yourself from scams

BY keeping these tips in mind, you can avoid getting caught up in a scam:

• Firstly, remember that if something seems too good to be true, it normally is.
• Check brands are "verified" on Facebook and Twitter pages – this means the company will have a blue tick on its profile.
• Look for grammatical and spelling errors; fraudsters are notoriously bad at writing proper English. If you receive a message from a “friend” informing you of a freebie, consider whether it’s written in your friend’s normal style.
• If you’re invited to click on a URL, hover over the link to see the address it will take you to – does it look genuine?
• To be on the really safe side, don’t click on unsolicited links in messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact.
• Be careful when opening email attachments too. Fraudsters are increasingly attaching files, usually PDFs or spreadsheets, which contain dangerous malware.
• If you receive a suspicious message then report it to the company, block the sender and delete it.
• If you think you've fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its online fraud reporting tool.

The grocer said shoppers should ask themselves whether the opportunity feels “too good to be true” and whether they have received a similar message from Lidl in the past.

Before entering any competition, Lidl advised customers to verify its authenticity on the supermarket’s official website.

It also said criminals will try and rush or panic their potential victim to make them more likely to fall for the scam.

Customers should check the spelling of web addresses before you click and also check whether the email address looks like an authentic company contact.

If you are concerned that you have fallen for a scam, you should report it to your bank and Action Fraud straight away.

“Lidl is not financially or commercially responsible for any fraudulent campaigns. If you feel like you have been a victim of fraud please report this to your bank immediately,” the supermarket said.

Scammers have previously sent texts to supermarket shoppers claiming to be from Asda and Morrisons.

Millions of consumers have also been targeted by fraudsters sending fake missed delivery texts from Royal Mail.

Fraud has boomed during the coronavirus pandemic has scammers have become more sophisticated, with 30% of Brits admitting they have been victims of online cons.

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