'Surprise for shoppers': Warning over $250 Woolworths scam
Woolworths customers are being warned about a scam email claiming to be from the supermarket giant.
The email, which appears to contain the supermarket's branding, informs customers they have been chosen to receive a $250 Woolworths gift card for the low price of just $1.
It tells customers the voucher would be delivered in three working days and asks for a first and last name, postcode and credit card details.
The sophisticated phishing scam appears as if it is sent from a regional Woolworths manager of the recipient's local store, and Nine News reports the email even contains the correct name, address and suburb of the person.
Woolworths says on its website criminals use email scams to trick customers into giving out personal and financial information in an attempt to steal their money.
It says customers should be suspicious of any emails that contain unexpected attachments, are from organisations that don't often contact you, request personal and sensitive information, create a sense of urgency and contain links that don't relate to the content in the email.
Woolworths confirms the $250 voucher is 'unauthorised'
Woolworths told Yahoo News Australia the email offering the $250 voucher was not an authorised message from the supermarket.
"As always, we encourage our customers to be vigilant of online and text phishing scams, which seek to imitate well-known brands to collect personal information," a spokesperson said in a statement.
"We never ask customers for their personal or banking details in unsolicited communications."
The latest scam comes just months after Woolworths shoppers were targeted in another scam attempting to steal vital information.
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Some customers were sent an email that promised a "surprise for Woolworth (sic) shoppers" and offered a reward to recipients who completed a 30-second survey by clicking a link.
In January, scammers also tried to lure unsuspecting victims with a text message claiming to be from Woolworths.
The text attempted to direct customers to a website that requested personal information.
Shoppers who clicked through reported the page the link opened had disturbingly similar features to the supermarket's live chat feature.
The message claimed the recipient's last purchase at Woolworths had automatically entered them into a draw, which they placed second in.
It claims the website will help people claim their prize and prompts the customer to confirm their details.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says on its website more than $77.7 million had been lost in scams so far this year.
There have been more than 80,000 reports of scams in the country in 2021.
People can report scams through the ACCC's Scam Watch website.
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