'Free' online gift cards may cost you your identity


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SALT LAKE CITY — Free $50 gift card! Free $25 shopping voucher! You may have received an e-mail or spotted a post on social media that offers money if you take a quick online survey.

"These are a scam; these are what we call phishing," said Jane Driggs, president of the Better Business Bureau of Utah.

Logos and names of popular retailers can be easily copied and pasted to make an offer seem legitimate, Driggs said. Then words like "free money" entice us to click on the provided link and complete a survey.

You won't win a gift card or cash, Driggs said, and you may lose your identity.

"They'll say, 'You've won this, but we need your credit card number to ship it to you.' Or, 'You've won this, but you have to give us your birth date and your social security number,'" she explained.

To learn more, click on the video player above.

Tips from the Utah Better Business Bureau

  • 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 seem to come from a different sender.
  • Legitimate businesses do not ask for credit card numbers or banking information on customer surveys. If they do ask for personal information, like an address or email, be sure there's a link to their privacy policy.
  • Watch out for a reward that's too good to be true. If the survey is real, you may be entered into a drawing to win a gift card or receive a small discount off your next purchase. Few businesses can afford to give away $50 gift cards for completing a few questions.

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Debbie Dujanovic

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