Leading travel brands such as Qantas, Thomas Cook, Butlin’s and Carnival Cruise Line are the latest names being used to dupe consumers with fake Facebook promotions.
According to Hoax-Slayer – a website that aims to highlight internet scams – the identities of these well-known companies are being hijacked by fraudsters to obtain consumers’ personal details.
Travel agents using the Travel Gossip page on Facebook and Hoax-Slayer have both highlighted recent competitions by ‘Butlins Fans’ which purport to offer a holiday as a prize.
Hoax-Slayer, which is run by Australian Brett Christensen, said: “The Facebook page is in no way associated with Butlin’s and it is not giving away any holidays.
“In fact, the Facebook page is just another scam designed to trick you into providing your personal information on suspect websites.
“The only winners are the scammers who created the fake Facebook Page.”
Holiday scams are among the most common bogus posts highlighted by Hoax-Slayer.
Its most recent posts warn about Facebook competitions from ‘Majorca Holidays’ offering a Bora Bora holiday; free tickets from Qantas; and prizes from ‘Carnival Cruise Fans’ which include a cruise.
On January 11, Hoax-Slayer warned of a fake Thomas Cook page on Facebook (pictured) that promises free holidays, for those sharing and commenting or clicking a “sign up” button.
Hoax-Slayer said: “The Facebook Page has no connection to Thomas Cook and it is not giving away any holidays. Facebook users who participate in the bogus giveaways have no chance of winning the promised Tenerife holidays.
“Instead, the Facebook page is a scam designed to trick you into providing your personal information on dodgy websites.
“The logo, videos, and photographs used on the scam page are stolen from genuine Thomas Cook websites and social media pages. The image depicting the supposed free ticket envelope was stolen from a January 2018 news report about a Thomas Cook travel agent.”
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