SOUTH AFRICA - BEWARE OF WOOLWORTHS VOUCHER SCAMS ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER & WHATSAPP

The promise of winning a voucher worth R6‚500 if you take part in a customer survey for leading retailer Woolworths is a hoax.

"We have been made aware of the hoax customer satisfaction surveys and voucher competitions. These surveys and vouchers are circulating via Facebook‚ Twitter and WhatsApp‚ and are not authorised by Woolworths‚" the company says.

Woolworths says it is looking into the origin of the fake survey and vouchers.

"However‚ they appear to feature a wide variety of leading brands locally and internationally." McDonalds was another brand that came up when the survey link was tested by TMG Digital.

The hoax offer reads: "Woolworths is expanding in Johannesburg. Therefore we need your feedback. Answer four simple questions to qualify for one of R6‚500 Woolworths vouchers". The questions ask you how often you shop at the stores and how far you would be willing to travel to find your nearest outlet.

It then invites you to tell 10 friends about the survey - and provides messages from seemingly real people endorsing the offer with comments like "Thought this was a joke at first‚ but the coupon actually came in the mail this morning. I want to do more surveys‚ lol".

On its website‚ Woolworths offers this advice to people who may have filled out the fake survey and competition‚ only to find out they are subscribed to a mobile service that they do not want.

How can I block the fake surveys and competitions?

Vodacom: Send “STOP ALL” to 30333 to unsubscribe from all wireless application service providers (WASP) services.

Wait for the response: “Your Vodacom request to delete all WASP service has been logged”.

Followed by: “You have been unsubscribed from ‘SERVICE’ with effect from ‘DATE’”. Should you receive the message “Your Vodacom request to delete all WASP services has been unsuccessful‚ Please call Vodacom Customer Care on 082111”‚ then there were no WASPs to unsubscribe from.

Cell C: Block all existing and future WASP billing by dialling *133*1#

MTN: Manage all existing and future WASP billing by dialling (*141*5#). By managing your WASPs you can select which services you wish to unsubscribe from and which you wish to keep.

Telkom Mobile: Telkom Mobile Users are not offered an option for WASPs. In the case of disappearing airtime‚ customers are advised to contact Telkom Mobile directly.

VIA - timeslive.co.za