I'll admit, when I see several of my Facebook friends sharing a contest post that has anything to do with Disney or free airline tickets, I'm tempted to enter. Sure, some companies run legit contests through Facebook. Usually these will link back to the original site of the business that is giving the prize away. The latest contest that I've seen shared is actually fake.

Entering to win a simple contest for a chance to win a new RV sounds too good to be true, and sadly, this time it is. Jayco RVs issued a statement regarding the fake contest.

We are not running a giveaway for a 2020 Seneca or any other Jayco RV.

We have taken the necessary steps to report the page(s) responsible for the misleading giveaways. If we ever do run any official Jayco sales event or giveaway, it will be promoted through our official Jayco company page.

In addition, we would never ask for your personal information, under no circumstance should you provide your personal information to anyone.

Here are some of the examples of this 'Facebook Farming' scam.

RV Facebook Scam
RV Facebook Scam
loading...
RV Facebook Scam
RV Facebook Scam
loading...
RV Facebook Scam
RV Facebook Scam
loading...
RV Facebook Scam
RV Facebook Scam
loading...

According the Better Business Bureau, Facebook Farming is very popular with scammers.

"Like-farming on Facebook is a technique in which scammers create an eye-catching post designed to get many likes and shares. Posts often give people emotional reasons to click, like, and share, such as adorable animals, sick children, the promise to win big, or political messages."

Your personal information that you enter to win with, is collected and can be used in a number of ways, including allowing malware and spam onto your computer. Here are some tips from the BBB to protect yourself online:

  • Use your good judgement. If a post says you can win something just by sharing the post, it’s probably not true. If a post tugs at your heartstrings and isn’t about someone you know personally, be wary about the truthfulness of its contents.
  • Don’t click “like” on every post in your feed. Scammers are counting on getting as many mindless likes as possible, so be sure you only “like” posts and articles that are legitimate. Don’t help scammers spread their con.
  • Be cautious when it comes to sharing your personal information. Never give out personal information, such as your full name, telephone number, address, etc. to a person or company you don’t know or trust.
  • Update your web browser. Make sure you always have the latest version of your browser. That way, if you do accidentally click on a scammer’s post, your browser will be more likely to warn you about suspicious sites.
Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Here are the Top 11 Doughnut Shops in The Tri-State

 

10 Signs You're Becoming Your Dad

More From WKDQ-FM