Police warn over Father's Day competition scam

* The fake competition advert.

North Wales Police have issued a warning about a Father's Day competition which they point out is a scam.

On the Neighbourhood Alert network force cybercrime officer Dewi Owen says: "Scammers are sending fake Father’s Day competitions via WhatsApp.

"The text reads B&Q Father’s Day Contest 2022 and goes on to advertise 5,000 free gas barbeques."

And he adds: "Do NOT click the link, report it to 7726 then block the number."

The officer sends a link to the Which consumer website, which says:  

"In time for Father’s Day, scammers are impersonating B&Q to offer you the opportunity to participate in a fraudulent contest. 

"Scammers stay on top of seasonal events so that they can try to more convincingly scam you. 

"We’ve received several reports from people who have received suspicious WhatsApp messages in the run-up to Father’s Day, offering you the chance to win a Weber BBQ as a present. 

"The text reads B&Q Father’s Day Contest 2022 and goes on to advertise 5,000 free gas barbeques available to be won by entering a competition by clicking on the link below. The message uses a catalogue-style photograph of the BBQ as well as B&Q branding to convince you it’s real.

"The WhatsApp message is sent via a mobile number, which brands will never contact you on and the message links to a Russian website with no connection to B&Q, a British company. 

"This link will either phish for your bank details or put you in danger of having malware downloaded onto your device. 

"On 8 June, B&Q put out a statement on Facebook stating: 'We’re aware of a fake message circulating via Whatsapp using B&Q branding in a Father’s Day competition. 

"'If you receive a suspicious WhatsApp message, which could be from a known or unknown contact, about a B&Q Father’s Day Contest 2022 offering the chance to win a Weber BBQ, we strongly recommend that you delete the message, do not click on any links and do not share with your contacts. 

"'We would never ask any of our customers to provide their full home address in order to enter a competition. If you believe you have been the victim of this scam, please consider reporting it to Action Fraud.' It posted a similar message on Twitter."

* Find out more here :- Watch out for this B&Q Father’s Day competition Scam - Which? News