iPhone 6 Scam Makes The Rounds Of Facebook

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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) only put the iPhone 6 up for preorders less than a week ago, and already someone is trying to take advantage of all the hype. Hoax Slayer identified a scam that’s circulating through Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) Timelines. It promises a chance to win a free iPhone 6 to those who complete a series of steps.

Details on the alleged iPhone 6 scam

In order to enter to win a free iPhone 6, Facebook users supposedly have to like a certain Facebook page and then participate in some online surveys. According to Hoax Slayer, both the site and the Facebook page that’s associated with it are “fraudulent.” The site also claims that they are not actually giving away free iPhone 6s as they claim to be.

Instead, they’re allegedly tricking people into spamming their friends “with the fake promotion and divulging personal information via dodgy online surveys,” reports Hoax Slayer.

How the alleged iPhone 6 scam works

Those who do try to enter to win a free iPhone 6 start by liking the website’s Facebook page and then sharing a link to it with friends. Then they’re told to go to another page and download a “participation application.” Instead, they’re told that they have to participate in some surveys before they will be able to download that application.

Next, they get a list of links that lead to survey websites from third parties. Some of those surveys require people to enter their mobile phone number, purportedly to get into a drawing for prizes or other offers. However, Hoax Slayer claims that entering a phone number basically subscribes people to a “very expensive text messaging ‘service’ tht will charge you several dollars every time they send you a message.”

Another option is a request for the user’s name, address and phone information, supposedly to enter them into a drawing for some prize. But those who read the fine print will see that it says third party marketers will receive access to your information, which means those who submit their information will probably receive a number of emails, phone calls and junk mail.

Never getting to the iPhone 6 prize drawing

According to Hoax Slayer, the scammer who made the Facebook page and website earns commissions “via a suspect affiliate marketing scheme” for every survey users fill out. And whenever they return to the Participation Application, there’s reportedly a popup that tells them that they did not complete the survey properly or that there was some kind of “small error.”

Then it demands that the user participates in another survey. However, those who have enough patience to stick with it for this long will discover that they never end up being able to download the application—no matter how many surveys they fill out.

There is an email address on the contact page where people can send their application. But Hoax Slayer suggests that this address will simply record your email address and use it to send spam and / or scam emails.

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