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What to do if you get this email offering Woolworths gift cards

A warning has been issued over a fake Woolworths email.

The email, which is sent from WoolworthsSurvey, tells the recipient it is pleased to announce Woolies is sending a number of gift cards.

There’s a link asking the recipient to finish a one-minute survey.

Presumably, the survey button leads to a malicious link.

It adds “a small number” of cards “are available until August 12”.

Woolworths confirmed the email is a scam and it has been reported to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch.

An email purportedly from Woolworths informing the recipient they have won a number of gift cards. They have to complete a survey. Woolies said it's a scam.
A scam email pretending to be from Woolworths. Source: Facebook

On its Scam Alerts page, Woolworths said it “will never email, message, or call you to ask for your personal or financial information including your password, credit card details or account information”.

“Our correspondence will prompt customers to log-in to their Woolworths account if we require you to update your personal information,” Woolworths said.

Australians to lose over $500m in scams in 2019

This week is National Scams Awareness Week.

Scamwatch says losses from scams this year are expected to exceed $532 million, surpassing half a billion dollars for the first time.

ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said scammers target a “sense of confidence” their targets might exhibit.

“People need to update their idea of what a scam is so that we are less vulnerable. Scammers are professional businesses dedicated to ripping us off,” Ms Rickard said.

“They have call centres with convincing scripts, staff training programs, and corporate performance indicators their ‘employees’ need to meet.”

ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said scammers target a “sense of confidence” their targets might exhibit.

“People need to update their idea of what a scam is so that we are less vulnerable. Scammers are professional businesses dedicated to ripping us off,” Ms Rickard said.

“They have call centres with convincing scripts, staff training programs, and corporate performance indicators their ‘employees’ need to meet.”

To report a scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission click here.

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