Don’t fall for this FB scam

[ScAMMEDbyWaterstones]

I was scammed, unbelievably as I’m pretty savvy. Sadly I have a weakness for books and bargains which this crowd took advantage of me over.

No one would ever believe that.

Hi @LamentableShoes So it's just Facebook. I went into my Facebook and went into the 'search' bar, and put 'Waterstones Questionaire.' It comes right up. That's how I got to it anyway (and the OP did say she saw it on Facebook.) According to some others posters here, it just popped up on their Facebook too!

I agree with this. I don't think the OP is coming back though somehow.

At least she didn't put that she was scammed by Waterstones in her thread title!

Still, very unfair on Waterstones.

I was scammed by this one too, I kind of knew it was a scam so used an old card attached to a bank I no longer use, they then tried to withdraw more payments. I have cancelled the card since.

But you didn't want to miss out on a deal, right? That's how these scams succeed.

It didn't succeed though as other than the initial £4 they weren't able to withdraw any money from my unused, empty account.

That's not the point. You didn't want to miss out on a deal, even though "I kind of knew it was a scam".

"Most people don't know..." is one of the scammy favourites, isnt it?

I did similar with a "Boots" offer just like this "My daughter works at Boots and..." actually can't believe I fell for it! I'm usually quite savvy. Luckily, Santander spotted it and blocked the payment and I cancelled my card. Easily done!

I'm usually quite savvy

Yeah, you're going to have to reassess that part of your self-identification.

"I'm usually quite savvy", except that time I fell for a "too good to be true" scam 😆

I still don't understand why people would even want 30 paperback books that they didn't choose. It would just be clutter in my house. I only purchase books I am interested in, and as far as I can see, you don't get to choose the books... You are given what they choose.

Even so, £3 is laughably cheap. For all those books. And the postage on top!

Sorry, didn't see this earlier.

No, I put my credit card details in, and only cancelled at the point where the bank asks you to approve the payment.

As someone else helpfully pointed out, the authorisation step only applies in the UK, and clearly this transaction originated outside the UK.

No, I put my credit card details in

and only cancelled at the point where the bank asks you to approve the payment.

Mate.

It's really not easily done and you're not savvy. This is one of the most obviously scammy scams out there!

I've seen people show them about Boots too and free make-up / beauty products.

Ok I have just had a look, and I'm not trying to be rude but this is an example of a fundamental misunderstanding of how the internet works.

The url isn't Facebook, it's https: // fihytuu .shop

It's linked to on Facebook but clicking it takes you to a different website. Just like clicking any link anywhere.

It's a completely different unregulated website. The idea that it's somehow still Facebook that's receiving your data or money is completely wrong - sorry.

Navigating to websites within apps like Facebook help to hide the true address of the website you're looking at. Hopefully if anyone sees the url it would be incredibly obvious it's not facebook, Waterstones or anything legit.

Last year, there was an ad / promotion on Facebook supposedly by Matalan, selling suitcases at very low prices. It frequently came up on my timeline / feed or whatever it is called.

However, when checking the proper Matalan site, the cases were the normal price.

I reported the ad several times to Facebook but lo and behold, the ad did not go against their ‘community standards’. Crazy.

I have also seen companies themselves posting on facebook, saying there are companies trying to imitate them and don't believe it, it's a scam and facebook won't take it down!

Ah ok. So how much were they trying to make you pay? And you just realised it was fake when the non UK based authorisation came on? Lucky escape! Did it actually give a questionnaire baring Waterstones logo etc?

Yes the questionnaire had a Waterstones logo (but that's easily copied). But the payment page didn't. It was £4.

It was my own bank's authorisation page that made me stop and think (just as it is designed to do) - but it was too late by then, they already had my card details.

Thank you for explaining. I'm not on FB anymore and I'm quite relieved. There never used to be so much crap like this going round.

I guess if it sounds too good to be true..

Yes to both statements 😃

I don't go on FB either. But my DH does and he likes to send me links to stuff. Usually they are useful ...