Scammers are great at finding someone’s pressure point and promising to relieve it. And if there’s one pain point that many consumers are feeling right now, it’s the rising prices at the gas pump that have blown up millions of household budgets.
As we previously reported, fraudsters have posed as government officials and offered help from a bogus “Fuel Relief Program.” Other scammers are now running ads on social media that offer consumers a chance to win a $500 gas card if they take a survey.
Of course, everyone who takes the survey “wins.” All they have to do is provide some personal information and a credit or debit card number to cover a small fee for mailing the gas card.
There is no free gas card, but victims who fill out the survey information wind up seeing unauthorized charges popping up on their credit card or bank account. One consumer told the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that they were informed about a Shell gas card they won. However, they had to pay $1.95 for shipping.
The next day, the consumer reported an unauthorized charge of $89.95. The charge was removed after being disputed, but the consumer said an identical unauthorized charge appeared the very next day.
The BBB says the scam operator may also request other personal details from the victim. Some consumers say they were asked to fill out a form and provide their name, phone number, physical address, credit card information, and other details….
