Lifetime Passes for KFC, Fast Food Chains-Scam!
Summary of eRumor:
Social media posts claim that customers can redeem lifetime passes for KFC, McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell and other fast food chains by liking and sharing the post.
The Truth:
So-called lifetime passes for KFC and other fast food chains circulating social media are classic survey scams.
In this type of survey scam, you’re offered free products or services in exchange for “liking” and “sharing” a post. Usually scammers will claim that companies like KFC, McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell and Wendy’s are offering the promotion to celebrate a big anniversary or milestone.
When it comes to lifetime passes for Taco Bell, for example, the post claimed that Taco Bell was extending the offer to celebrate its 54th anniversary. Although Taco Bell is turning 54 in 2016, the restaurant isn’t giving away lifetime passes to celebrate.
After liking and sharing the post, you’ll be told to click through to a third-party website that has been designed to look exactly like the company’s Facebook page. Then you’ll be asked to provide personal information in order to redeem your “prize.” Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson warns that these scams can be used to obtain personal financial information, to bypass telemarketer “do not call lists” or to obtain personal information that can be sold to a third party.
These types of scams can be used to get you to give out personal information by filling out surveys, to infect your computer with malware, or to trick you into signing up for paid subscriptions. Click here for tips on how to avoid this type of scam from the Minnesota Attorney General’s office.
There are several giveaways that can help you identify this type of scam in the future. First, the offer won’t appear on the company’s official Facebook page, and it won’t come from the company’s official Facebook account. Second, the website that you’ll be directed to will have a URL that’s different than the company’s official website.