Easter egg scam: DON'T be tricked by offers of free chocolate on social media, expert warns
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The long Easter weekend is anticipated by many, but it can also be expensive.
The typical Briton spends £147 over the bank holiday, according to finance website NerdWallet, with the cost of meals, travel and chocolate eggs all adding up.
Many would jump at the chance of taking home free chocolate - and unfortunately that is the latest ruse being used by online scammers.
One scam shared on X earlier this year saw a victim targeted with a promotion which impersonated the chocolate maker Cadbury.
It read: 'We would like to offer you a unique opportunity to receive a new Ultimate Selection box! To claim, simple take this short survey about your experience with Cadbury.'
They would then be asked to follow a link and hand over personal information, or their payment details - allowing the fraudsters to access their cash.
Experts warn of a spike in this kind of scam leading up to Easter, and NerdWallet has said they typically result in a loss of £7,448 per victim.
Don't get too egg-cited: Offers of free Easter treats online could turn out to be a scam
Adam French, consumer finance expert at NerdWallet, said: 'With Easter approaching, consumers should be extra alert for scam social media giveaways.
'These scams, often mimicking well-known chocolate brands like Cadbury, can spike at this time of year.'
He added: 'In recent years, scammers have circulated fake Cadbury Easter promotions on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, offering free chocolate hampers in exchange for completing surveys or following suspicious links.
'While the giveaways may look convincing - using brand logos, fake comments, and cloned web pages - these posts are not affiliated with the real Cadbury brand, which has previously confirmed that it does not run any promotions in this way.'
French said: 'These scams are designed to harvest personal data, trick users into signing up for costly subscriptions or hand over payment details.'
In some cases scammer might request victims to input payment details. Doing so could allow scammers to steal money directly from a victims account.
However, the scammer is more likely intending to target your personal information instead. French said this could make victims more susceptible to impersonation scams in the future.
Some scammers may also sign victims up to expensive subscriptions.
French said: 'As scammers become more sophisticated, we as consumers must stay alert. Businesses also need to clearly communicate which giveaways are legitimate.
'This is especially important during holidays when we can be more tempted by free gifts and seasonal offers.'
To avoid becoming a victim, French says the key is to ensure the source of a promotion is genuine.
On social media, this means looking out for verified social media accounts.
He said: 'If in doubt, go directly to the brand's official website or contact its customer service team before engaging with any online promotion.'
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