Kohl’s is a tried-and-true family favorite. They’ve got clothes, housewares, electronics, and so much more — and if you go at the right time of year, you can get some serious deals. There are always big promotions underway, but watch out: a recent Kohl’s coupon offer popping up on Facebook feeds is not the real deal.
In the last few days, an offer from Kohl’s has been showing up on Facebook offering a $100 coupon. The deal is said to be in celebration of the store’s 57th anniversary and requires users to fill out a survey to claim the coupon.
First, the ‘survey’ asks you to share the post in the hopes of luring other users in. Then it asks for a host of personal information, including email, birthdate, phone numbers, and even credit card information. Sometimes, it requires you to make a purchase in order to “claim your coupon.”
The deal may seem tempting — $100 goes a long way at Kohl’s — but it’s definitely fake. A Kohl’s spokesperson told Today that there’s no anniversary coupon. “This offer did not come from Kohl’s or any of our authorized partners.”
This isn’t the first time a scam like this has made the rounds on social media, and it likely won’t be the last. A similar offer from Costco went viral a few months ago, and there are hackers who produce “deals” like these constantly to try to lure in unwitting bargain hunters.
For future reference, the Better Business Bureau has some top tips to help you spot a scam before it’s too late.
First, don’t believe what you see: it’s easy for scammers to steal the logo of a real company like Kohl’s, and make their links look like they lead to legitimate websites — or make their email look like their coming from a reputable source.
Second, know that legitimate businesses do not ask for credit card numbers or banking information for coupons or giveaways. Ever. They will sometimes ask for an address or email to send your coupon to, but always make sure there’s a link to the company’s privacy policy.
Third, when in doubt, search it out. Scams get caught quickly, and if the business hasn’t alerted customers yet, it’s likely to have been talked about on social media. Do a quick Google search to make sure your intuition is correct.
Fourth, know when something is too good to be true. Companies often give small discounts to customers, like a 15% or 20% off coupon, or a special Black Friday or anniversary sale. But if the offer is as significant as 50% off or a $100 voucher, it’s probably too good to be true.