Warning over Guinness WhatsApp scam doing the rounds ahead of Father's Day
Brits have been warned of a fake Father's Day Guinness giveaway scam that is making the rounds on WhatsApp.
The scam - highlighted by the consumer group Which? - involves a message which offers the chance to "win one of 750 Guinness mini fridges".
The scam also says that this fridge will be "full of beer".
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The message, which usually comes through WhatsApp, will include a link to a fake website which you are encouraged to click so you can enter the fake Guinness giveaway.
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The text in the message reads: "Uncover the hidden prize in Guinness Father's Day giveaway" alongside a picture of a fridge full of cans of the black stuff.
If you take the bait and click the link, you will be taken to a dodgy website which has been designed to look like the real deal with Guinness branding.
The scam is being shared through Whatsapp messages (Which)In their investigation of the scam, Which? found that the website was registered in Iceland.
The fake Guinness website will tell you that you need to take a quiz to win the mini fridge and says encourages you to take this quiz quickly as there s "limited prices available".
Which? notes that this is a "classic tactic" used by scammers to rush potential victims - the fake site also showed a number of how many mini fridges were left.
Question one, of four questions in the quiz, asks users "Do you know Guinness?" - and the two options were yes and no.
It is not known what the other three questions for the quiz were.
Once you have completed the quiz, victims will then be asked for their payment details which is to cover the "delivery" of the fridge.
If you click the link, you will be taken to a fake website which has been designed to look like the real Guinness website (Which)If you fill out these details, Which? warns that you will be handing your important information over to the scammers.
Most importantly, the fake Guinness site asks victims to share the "competition" with their WhatsApp contacts.
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By sharing it, the scam can spread quickly and others may be fooled into "entering" as it has come from someone they trust.
Although Guinness has not released an official statement regarding the scam, a spokesperson for Diageo, the parent company of the iconic Irish stout brand, told the Irish Daily Mirror that they are "aware of the situation."
They added: "This is not a Guinness competition and appears to be a scam. We are advising anyone who has received the message to not open the link or give any personal information, and delete it immediately."
What to do if you think you’ve been scammed
If you think a scammer has got hold of your bank details, contact your bank straight away.
You can call the 159 hotline, which will connect you to your bank.
Passwords that have been leaked or compromised should be changed immediately.
Make sure you report scams and fraud to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or through the Action Fraud website.
If you're in Scotland, report a scam through Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 or on the Advice Direct Scotland website.
You can also report scams to Police Scotland on 101.
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