Kroger came forward this week with an official statement on Facebook, confirming the existence of a fraudulent coupon circulating via social media.
The fraudulent Kroger coupon offers consumers that chance to save $60 on a minimum purchase of $70.
Kroger did not hesitate to address this fake Facebook couponon the company’s official Facebook page, warning customers against using or taking this “offer” seriously. In the company’s statement, which was posted online Tuesday, Kroger made it clear that the popular supermarket had nothing to do with this alleged savings opportunity.
“Fake coupon alert! There’s currently an unauthorized ‘FREE $60 Kroger Coupon’ offer floating around. It’s not real! We don’t recommend engaging with the site(s) that offer links to the coupon, or providing them with any personal information. Our team is actively working with Facebook and domain service providers to address the concern.”
There are several key elements within the fraudulent Kroger coupon that make it appear authentic – adding to its overall misleading appeal for consumers that fall for the “trap.”
For example, perhaps one of the biggest highlights of the fake Kroger coupon is the large Kroger logo and tagline “Great Food. Low Prices.” The fake coupon also comes with a paragraph full of fine print and a UPC bar code. The proposed expiration date of July 31, 2016, presents the sense of urgency that many companies use to appeal to consumers – even if the offer is not legitimate.
@kroger Today I saw a coupon on Facebook for 60 dollars off with a minimum purchase of 70 dollars is this a scam? pic.twitter.com/aWDI7fCSGt
— Logan Franks (@LoganFranks44) July 15, 2016
However, there are certain red flags presented within the $60 Kroger coupon that likely activate alarms of skepticism within most reluctant customers – especially customers that have fallen for similar traps in the past.
For instance, pay attention to the company’s anniversary. According to the heading of the Kroger coupon post, the “impressive” offer was designed to celebrate Kroger’s 130th anniversary. According to an old article published by the Florence Times , B.H. “Barney” Kroger opened the very first Kroger grocery store in 1883. Therefore, the company essentially celebrated its 130th anniversary nearly 3 years ago.
#Facebook hoax: $60 in free groceries at @kroger is fake https://t.co/ldwpgopENf pic.twitter.com/QrNhY3voAy
— Courier-Journal.com (@courierjournal) July 14, 2016
According to Snopes.com , fraudulent Kroger coupons of this nature have been in circulation since last July. At that time, the “anniversary” being celebrated for the $60 coupon offer was the company’s 131st anniversary.
The website classified the fake Kroger coupon as part of the “Company Anniversary Free Product” scam.
“The primary form of free product fraud is the ‘sweepstakes scam,’ which is intended to lure victims into completing numerous surveys, disclosing a good deal of personal information, and then agreeing to sign up for costly, difficult-to-cancel “Reward Offers” hidden in the fine print. The scammers spread links via e-mail and Facebook that purport to offer free product to those who follow those links.”
Snopes.com further explained that the web pages used within these fake coupon scams will usually ask their victims to click what appears to be standard Facebook “share” buttons. This is part of the overall scam, because it is allowing unwary consumers to spread the scam even farther – pushing the fraudulent offer right back into circulation.
Just found out that the Kroger ($60) coupon that appeared on face book is BOGUS! Sounded good, huh? If sounds too good, well, usually is…
— Mark Morrow (@mmediamarko12) July 13, 2016
Hey Y’all Ken and I were duped this morning with a Offer from Kroger.. You get a 60$ coupon when you purchase 70$… https://t.co/leyiBxhACg
— Wake up Women Group (@Wakeupwomengrp) July 13, 2016
The concept of receiving a $60 Kroger coupon may seem very enticing – especially if the minimum purchase amount to qualify for the savings is only $70. However, it is important to remember that if an offer circulating online seems too good to be true, it’s probably a fraudulent deal.
[Image Credit: AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File]
