I always know that a year has passed, not by the months on a calendar or the weeks in a year but by when the “Two Free Southerwest Airline Tickets” scam hits Facebook.
I believe it was this time last year when the scam circulated via a mass tag of names on a photo advertising the “deal.” They’re at it again, this time taking advantage of Facebook pages, links or applications that users can “like.”
“This version says something along the lines of “TWO FREE Southwest Airline Tickets” followed by a link to a fraudulent website. It also has the following description…SW is currently giving away 2 tickets to any destination within the United States, only to a few select people” – Source.
The scam requires you to “like” the page and share it with your friends in order to be eligible to win the free tickets. In this country right now it’s no secret that money is tight and for many when they see this shared on a friend’s Facebook wall it may seem enticing for them to score two free tickets to any destination!
Do not click, like or share this information!
“After sharing, you are then immediately told you have won an iPad 2 Color, a free cruise, or a free trip to somewhere in the Mediterranean.The scammers’ goal is to drive more traffic towards certain sites. This is how the scammer earns his or her money: a commission for every survey completed, every product purchased, and/or every account compromised. They also use them to spread malware and obtain personal information” – Source.
If you’re a Facebook user that has ever used an application through the site before, or had to authorize a site to be able to access your information, you are well aware of the “Terms and Conditions” that flash up on your screen asking for access to your individual page and sometimes friends’ information. All too often when hastily clicking “yes” to an application users give the app approval for posting on their walls. It’s always important to not just breeze through these agreements and actually consciously think about who you’re giving your most personal information away to.
If you have been scammed and would like to file a scam report, please click here.
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