Supermarket voucher scams in the UK: how to tell if a voucher or prize is fake

Scammers are using the promise of vouchers at big supermarkets to rip you off! The latest con involves a fake "anniversary coupon" from either Morrisons or Sainsbury's. Here's how to stay safe.

Scammers are sending out a host of fake vouchers, purporting to be from some of the nation's biggest supermarkets and high street stores.

These hoax voucher promotions have been popping up all over Facebook and Twitter as well as on WhatsApp, text and email.

Here’s what to watch out for and how to stay safe.

Sainsbury's and Morrisons £75 anniversary voucher scam

Facebook posts have been cropping up claiming to offer a free £75 voucher for either Sainsbury's or Morrisons as part of their anniversary celebrations.

The text used can vary, but the offer is generally along the lines of: "Get a FREE £75 Morrisons Coupon to celebrate 117th Anniversary!". We've seen some with different anniversary years mentioned.

The Sainsbury's versions read much the same.  

In order to claim your 'free' voucher, you are redirected to an external site where you are asked to share your details. However, there is no prize and your details will be used to inundate you with spam messages.

Avoid this scam, and definitely don't share it with your friends on Facebook.

Aldi fake £65 coupon scam

Scammers are trying to trick Aldi shoppers into handing over their details in return for a "free £65 coupon" that can be redeemed in-store.

The victims are asked to click on a link, which takes them to a website where they're asked to enter personal information before they can print off the voucher.

The offer is of course fake and the fraudsters will then use the information to commit ID fraud. 

Victims are also asked to share the voucher on social media, thus keeping the scam going.

We've seen a number of the fake vouchers on both Twitter and Facebook. Take a look at the post below from What's On Gloucestershire, which explains what the scam looks like. 

Aldi has taken to Twitter to say it is aware of the hoax voucher and is investigating the matter.

It also stressed it would never ask you to share your personal details via a website in order to redeem a voucher.

If someone sends you a Facebook message or email suggesting you could get an Aldi voucher, treat it with caution and don't automatically click on the link.

If the offer is too good to be true it probably is. Also, check for spelling mistakes and use your common sense about the details it is asking you to share. 

Sainsbury's £250 WhatsApp voucher scam

Sainsbury's shoppers are also being targeted with a £250 voucher scam.

Customers are being asked to do a survey through WhatsApp in exchange for £250. They're then asked to send the survey on to 10 other users. It was sent to Twitter user, AliciaP, as you can see below.

@sainsburys ... is this scam?! I sent to over 10 people and only registered 2. Then I pressed. Refresh and lost the whole thing. Nice one... pic.twitter.com/rYUwKIZn87

— AliciaP (@Ali_Purr) January 15, 2017

Sainsbury's has warned shoppers to delete the message without replying.

Sainsbury’s £100 voucher scam

Be wary of a similar Sainsbury's scam that's being widely shared on Facebook.

Customers have taken to Sainsbury's official Facebook page to ask whether messages they’ve received claiming to offer a £100 Sainsbury’s gift card are genuine.

We asked Sainsbury’s about the issue and it confirmed that it is aware of the £100 gift card voucher offer being circulated and confirmed that these were not genuine.

A spokesperson for the supermarket told loveMONEY it’s advising anyone that receives a message offering the £100 gift card to delete it and not click on any of the links.

Below is a screengrab of one of the messages being sent on WhatsApp, which was shared by Twitter user @loisadean.

Tesco voucher scam

Scammers targeting Tesco shoppers are using a slightly different approach.

At the moment there is a scam email promising £500 worth of Tesco vouchers after answering a survey on their phone.

However, those that complete the questionnaire are finding they’ve been signed up to a premium rate text service, which charges them to be entered into a monthly draw.

Read more about the scam in: Tesco prize draw scam: how to stay safe.

Think you may have fallen for a scam? Check your credit report today

How to get genuine supermarket discounts and vouchers

Not all supermarket promotions are a scam.

You can use cashback websites like Quidco and TopCashback as well as websites like Vouchercloud and VoucherCodes.co.uk, which list genuine voucher codes and discounts.

You should also keep an eye on official Facebook and Twitter feeds for genuine offers from the supermarkets and other retailers.

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