Cadbury has issued a warning to the public over a free Easter chocolate scam that has been circulating on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.
People have been receiving a message that contains a link claiming to offer the recipient a free chocolate hamper.
However, the chocolate manufacturer has confirmed that the offer is not genuine and warned consumers not to interact with it.
“We’ve been made aware of circulating posts on social media claiming to offer consumers a free Easter chocolate basket,” the company said on Twitter.
“We can confirm this hasn’t been generated by us & we urge consumers not to interact.”
The public has also been warned about the scam by Merseyside Police, with the force saying it is an “attempt to gain access to your personal details”.
What sort of scam is the free chocolate message?
The message appears to be a phishing scam.
Phishing is when criminals use scam emails, texts or phone calls to trick their victims.
They usually aim to make the recipient visit a website, which may download a virus onto their device, steal bank details or get them to hand over personal information.
People received a message on WhatsApp that looked like this
The information can then be used to gain access to financial details or online bank accounts.
What to look out for?
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) advises people to consider carefully before clicking any link they are sent, unsolicited, by an organisation.
It also encourages people to look for tell-tale signs including poor spelling or grammar, or a sense of urgency in the messaging to try to encourage a rash decision.
A generic greeting, misspelled email addresses or domain names and a bank asking for personal financial information are also indicators of a phishing scam.