Please beware: fake Facebook pages offering free products in exchange for Likes

One of my clients called me on Friday and told me he was getting calls and emails from complete strangers around the country asking where their free product was. I initially thought his site may have been hacked, but a quick Google search uncovered a pretty big scam that's been going on for a while. Someone somewhere used his business information and created a Facebook Place page making an offer of a free item in exchange for a like.

The product photo was initially hosted on Dropbox, and a Google search for that Dropbox directory uncovered an additional six pages, plus an additional page that just went up today. I'm going to list the pages I uncovered with the locations and type of businesses, but I'm not going to identify them, because the businesses are victims here.

A fake page for a New Jersey pizza parlor offering a free apron
A fake page for the same New Jersey pizza parlor offering a free oven mitt
A fake page for the same New Jersey pizza parlor offering a free pizza cutter (This poor pizza restaurant has over 70,000 likes now from people sharing this offer without verifying it!)
A fake page for a Pennsylvania caterer offering a free olive oil sprayer (Over 2,000 likes)
A fake page for a Virginia massage therapist offering a free head massager (Almost 5,000 likes)
A fake page for a Texas aloe vera company offering a free aloe vera sample (Over 57,000 likes)
A fake page for a California cosmetics company offering free makeup brushes (Over 58,000 likes)
NEW! A fake page for a California company offering a free beach bag (Only 678 likes so far, but just started today)

I contacted Dropbox and they immediately suspended the account when I sent them links to all the fake pages. Saturday morning, all of the product images were moved to the same account on Cloudfront, which is an Amazon web services company. I sent a list of pages and files to Amazon web service's abuse email on Saturday and never heard a peep back. In the future, if you aren't sure about the veracity of a Facebook offer, check the URL of the procuct image on the free offer landing page and if it starts with d1sf0m8kms36pp.cloudfront.net, it is definitely a scam.

I'm not quite sure what the motivation was to set up these pages, but I would guess it's just to collect valid email addresses for spam purposes. Each of these pages uses the same script to collect contact information. When you fill out the contact form and submit it, you'll be redirected to a fake offer on an outside web site. Clicking that offer takes you back to Facebook where you are given the option of sharing the fake offer. The only other thing I could think of would be if somehow the redirected pages are loading adware or spyware or malware through your browser.

The real issue as I see it is that Facebook will allow anyone to claim to be a business and set up a business page without verifying their identity, and there's no mechanism to contact security at Facebook to let them know about these scams so they can deal with them immediately. Instead, they require the victims of these scams to verify who they are before they'll turn the pages over; in my client's case, Facebook said it would take a week for them to investigate the issue. In the meantime, this scammer is impersonating these businesses and cross-linking their scam pages (for example, the NJ pizza place links to the PA offer, and the PA offer links to the new CA beach bag offer), all the while collecting the email addresses under false pretenses.

The easiest way to spot these scams, beyond looking for the hosting of the images, checking the script of the page to see what it looks like, and actually visiting the real web site of the business to see if they say they're on Facebook, is to simply ask yourself whether it would make sense for this small local company to give out a free item to thousands of people across the country who would never actually patronize their business. For example, the Jersey pizza joint now has over 70,000 likes, meaning that they'd be spending over $100,000 to send out free pizza cutters, aprons, and oven mitts if these fake offers were true. How would that make sense for them?

Edited to add: Another scam page pointed out to me this morning is free diet pills from a nutritional supplement store in California. (Over 3000 likes)... this one has the image hosted on Cloudfront.net on a different account, which when seached, uncovers additional fake offers like a free towel from a Florida fence company and free soap from a salon in New Jersey.

Just a new variation of a very old revenge prank scam.

When I was a kid, people seeking revenge on somebody or against a business would pass around flyers saying that Mr.x or the business was giving away a free TV or $5 cash to anyone who returned this flyer along with a sack of garbage ('to be recycled') on Sunday morning at 6am.

Hundreds of people would go there and become very angry when they did not get their promised gift!

What's really weird is it seems like the people that are making up these pages are also making fake Facebook accounts to comment on the posts they've made on the fake pages to make them look more real. I read through some of the comments and they leave me scratching my head.

MegoSteve said:   What's really weird is it seems like the people that are making up these pages are also making fake Facebook accounts to comment on the posts they've made on the fake pages to make them look more real. I read through some of the comments and they leave me scratching my head.

The're shills working for them, those same shills are often the ones who post the offers on boards like this, and also reply. Most of these scam offers have been posted by newbies, with multiple replies by newbies. And all of these newbies are posting their first post, and they never post again. If you post warnings on the hijack walls, the shills make sure your post gets removed. I have had some success in checking the walls for FB freebie pages, and posting on the walls of those pages that the offer has been determined to be a scam. Some of those legitimate freebie walls have since removed their messages promoting the freebie from their own walls. Anything to cut down on the traffic to the fake offer. FW is now simply removing the scam posts altogether. The problem with that is that the shills, or an unsuspecting FW member, will repost the offer. I still like Mumz idea of leaving the post up after locking it and removing the link (mentioned in a now-deleted post). Reposts could then be redirected to the OP, and subsequently deleted or locked as well (after deactivating the link).

MumzOf2 said:   There's been another long ongoing fake facebook freebie offer from "Chicago Fabric Yarn & Button Sales."
It's currently at 51,350 likes. I remember when this was first posted it had 18 likes.
The offer is for a free Mitt and potholder set. It started out with a free towel.

Chicago Fabric Yarn is a very legit business but they don't even have a web site! <snip>


They have their own Facebook page now (https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoFabricSalesCompany , and they are posting warnings there. Chicago Fabric Yarn & Button Sales said: What the REAL CF has to say about the FAKE ONE; "There is another page on Facebook masquerading as the Chicago Fabric Yarn & Button Sales Company. http$://www.facebook.com/scam_reference_removed Although all of the contact information, location, and the name are correct make no mistake this is a fake page. This page holds monthly "giveaways" and contests. The owner of Chicago Fabrics & Sales, Byron Miller has never held a contest or give away and does not have any plans to do so. Please do not like the fake page or give out your address to anyone who claims to be associated with this store if you are asked when dealing with the page linked above. I believe it is a scam or a hoax.

and Chicago Fabric Yarn & Button Sales said: There is another Facebook Page masquerading as the Chicago Fabrics & Sales Company's page. They do "give aways" of items that we as a store do not sell. If you see this page do not click "like" on it and do not participate in their give aways. We do not know what their intentions are.

The real CF now have a website and an Etsy store, too bad the scammers didn't catch on and add that to their fake page.

pianomaster said:   Here is my solution: Don't go on Facebook

Fixed that for you.

qube said:   pianomaster said:   Here is my solution: Don't go on Facebook

Fixed that for you.

Amen- removed facebook from my phone and my life is much better. 95% of the crap from my 'friends' on facebook is useless annoying info from old acquaintances.

MumzOf2 said:   There's been another long ongoing fake facebook freebie offer from "Chicago Fabric Yarn & Button Sales."
The Chicago Fabric Yarn & Button sales facebook site is now featuring another fake offer for a "Free Aquamarine Stone Sample" from the Philadelphia Psychic Center.
When you click on the link the submit page/format looks exactly like all the other spam offer submit pages. It's so obvious they're the same scammers.

So beware of the new fake Aquamarine Stone Sample facebook offer going around.

The NY/NJ Pizza Parlor has added a new freebie. Kitchen shears from their equipment supplier.

XXXXXXXX Pizza said: One of our suppliers offers a free kitchen scissors. For more details, please follow the link below.

This takes you to a FB Wall for Caldarella's Restaurant Supply. There is NO FB link on the company website to a FB page, and no mention on the website of the free shears. Why would a wholesaler give a freebie to consumers? Submitting the form without imputing data, takes you to various 3rd party spam sites, which all open in a new window, all rated poorly by WOT. And the clueless spread the word (spam for them by reposting the fake freebie on their FB Wall and elsewhere). Expect the shills to start posting the free shears on FatWallet and elsewhere.

8/29/12 - New Facebook Phishing Free Offer
Advance Auto Engineering - Microfiber detail cloth
*New FB site made within a day
*Another d253kj8uw8gg3b.cloudfront.net/advae-s002.jpg picture
*Typical form (all phishing forms look a like) that goes through without entering information
*Phone number is dead on facebook site

New Facebook scammer hijack. West Coast Nutrition offering free diet pill samples (Ultimate Nutrition Perfect Diet weight Loss for Women).

This page is fake. There is no link on the West Coast Nutrition webpage that goes to Facebook. Freebie has been available since July 16, Facebook page started July 2, and finally, they don't do mail orders. They are a physical Brick & Mortar store only. This is yet another Facebook Hijack page set up by scammers who use real, legitimate companies to scam you for your personal info, which they then sell to spam, junk mail and telemarketer lists. You will never see the freebie, despite promises it will come. This store doesn't even sell the product listed as the freebie, they just stole a stock picture from another website hat does sell this product. Finally, you can submit the form without imputing any information; the hallmark of a scammer.

ETA: OP posted by a Newbie, most likely a shill from the scammers.

Posted within another thread:

While waiting for the CS&H* shampoo, I have another cosmetic facebook freebie to share with you all, free french manicure set sample. facebook.com/KmNailManufacture (truncated link)

*Clear Scalp & Hair

This is a link to yet another Facebook Hijack scam page, It is a legitimate business hijacked by a scammer. The website for this business is for wholesalers and distributers, not consumers. They would not be giving freebies to end-purchasers (consumers). Finally, there is no Facebook link on the business website. Upon submission, you get a 3rd-part pop-up offer in another window.

Prestos now links you to yet another wholesaler that does not have a Facebook page (And wholesalers DO NOT give freebies to end users (ie consumers). Previously it was a restaurant supply company. This time it is an Italian Spices set from a real company in California called Italfoods Inc. Of course it's the same scammers and their shills in operation. I keep posting links to this thread. Got a PM through Facebook from someone who said she has been trying to get people to realize these are scams, and appreciated my link. Interestingly, the shills haven't removed my more recent posts of the link on their wall(s). Then again, they haven't deleted the complainants asking where their previous freebies are.

When you submit form (they're getting wiser, you now must enter data, but any data will do), you get the usual 3rd-party pop-ups. And the following:

Italan Foods said: Thank you for requesting a sample. Please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery of free ItalFoods italian spices set. If you share us with your friends on Facebook we will add a pepper mill to your shipment. Once you receive your spices set, please consider coming back to tell us what you think! We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!

IOW, "Spam us on Facebook and we will 'not' send you a pepper mill. Heck, we aren't sending anything, but thanks for spamming us for free!

Prestos scam is starting to unravel; today only, get free branded olive oil with your pizza cutter. BTW, they now have disabled the ability to comment on their wall. A link to this thread, and a warning, were posted to their Recommendations, too bad they can't delete that. It's right on their wall where all visitors can see.