Online scams are becoming increasingly common as cybercriminals find new ways to trick unsuspecting victims. One such scam that has been making the rounds involves scammers posing as Walmart and sending out fake emails claiming the recipient has won a Dell Inspiron laptop.
This elaborate phishing scam aims to steal personal and financial information from recipients who fall for the ruse. The scam email convinces victims they’ve been specially selected to receive a free Inspiron laptop, luring them to click on a link which leads to a fake Walmart website designed to steal information.
It’s important to be aware of how this scam works so you can avoid becoming a victim. This article will provide an in-depth look at this Walmart Dell Inspiron laptop scam, including how it works, what to do if you receive one of these emails, and how to keep yourself protected.
Overview of the Scam
The Walmart Dell Inspiron scam starts with an email sent to unsuspecting recipients. The email is made to look like it is from Walmart, often using the company’s logos and branding.
The subject line commonly says something like “Walmart Answer & Win Loyalty Program” or “Congratulations Walmart Customer, You’ve Won!” This catches the recipient’s attention, making them think they have been specially selected by Walmart for a prize.
The email goes on to congratulate the recipient, telling them they have won a free Dell Inspiron laptop in a special promotion or contest. Some versions say they were entered into a sweepstakes when they completed a Walmart survey.
To claim the prize laptop, the recipient is instructed to click on a link in the email which supposedly leads to the Walmart website where they can provide their details and redeem their prize.
However, this link actually takes them to a fake Walmart website that has been set up by the scammers. This site looks convincing, using Walmart’s logos and graphics to appear legitimate, but it is entirely fraudulent.
Why Scammers Use the Walmart Brand
Scammers use the Walmart name in this scam because it is a brand people know and trust. When recipients see the familiar Walmart logo, they are more likely to believe the email is real without thinking twice.
Walmart is also a prime target because they run frequent promotions and contests. People are accustomed to Walmart offering special deals and sweepstakes, so they find this prize offer believable.
The scam emails take advantage of the Walmart reputation to fool recipients into thinking the company has singled them out to receive a high-value laptop prize. This convinces people to take the bait without considering it could be a scam.
Goal of the Fake Website
The fake website that recipients are sent to looks just like the real Walmart site. It has the same color schemes, fonts, images, and overall appearance of the legitimate Walmart.com website.
The scam site often has a banner across the top announcing the Dell laptop contest winner. There may be images of the Inspiron laptop as well as Walmart branding and graphics used to make the site look authentic.
The goal is to extract personal and financial information from victims who believe they are on the real Walmart website. The site will have forms asking for information like your name, address, phone number, credit card details, and more.
Scammers want to gather this sensitive data to use in identity theft or sell your information for profit. The scam site may also try to get you to sign up for unwanted paid subscriptions to steal even more money.
Costs and Fake Shipping Fees
While the initial email makes it sound like the laptop prize is completely free, buried in the fine print of the scam website are mentions of shipping, processing, or other fees you must pay to claim your prize.
These costs are usually low, around $2-$5 dollars. The scammers want to make recipients think they are just covering a small shipping fee then they will receive their free Dell laptop.
In reality, paying this small fee gives the scammers your credit card information. Some victims have reported that within hours of making the shipping payment, much larger unauthorized charges appeared on their cards from the scammers.
The scam site also seeks to collect as much personal data about you as possible. You may be asked to complete survey questions to “verify your identity” in order to claim your prize. These surveys are designed to gather information like your date of birth, account passwords, social security number and more.
No legitimate contest would need this type of personal data just to ship a prize to a winner. But the scammers use this tactic to steal identities which they can sell or use to commit other forms of fraud.
Step-by-Step How the Scam Works
Now that we’ve covered the overview of this scam, let’s look at exactly how the scam works step-by-step:
Step 1: You Receive an Unsolicited Email
The scam starts with an email being sent to your inbox unprompted. You did not sign up for or enter any contest related to this prize offer. The scammers obtained your email address through illegal email lists or by harvesting publicly available contact information online.
The subject line is designed to grab your attention, often saying you’ve won a prize or mentioning Walmart specifically. You open the email, thinking it is an important notification.
Step 2: The Email Says You’ve Won a Dell Laptop
The email congratulates you, claiming you have been specially selected out of all Walmart customers to receive a free Inspiron laptop.
It will go on to provide some basic details about the prize, often mentioning it has the latest processor, plenty of memory, large screen, or other features to make the laptop sound highly appealing.
The email tries to convince you this is a hot item worth hundreds of dollars that Walmart has chosen you specifically to receive for free. This is to entice you to continue through their scam process.
Step 3: Click the Link to Claim Your Prize
Within the email, you are instructed to click a link to go claim your prize laptop from Walmart. The link description may tell you to go to the Walmart website, login to your account, provide your contact info, or redeem your reward.
Since the email looks legitimate and you supposedly have already won this great prize, most recipients click the link without thinking twice. But this takes you to the fake website secretly run by scammers.
Step 4: Arrive at the Fake Walmart Website
After clicking the link, you are taken to website designed to mimic the look of the real Walmart.com site. You likely will not notice anything strange at first.
The site has Walmart’s logo, colors, layout, and images making you think you are on the official website. But look closely and you may notice the URL looks suspicious rather than Walmart’s legitimate domain.
Step 5: Submit Your Personal Information
Once on the scam website, you are prompted to provide personal details in order to claim your prize laptop. There will be forms asking for your full name, physical address, phone number, and contact information.
You may also be asked for account passwords, credit card information, or answers to identity verification questions. Since you think you’re on Walmart’s site, you may provide this sensitive data without realizing it is falling into scammers hands.
Step 6: Pay a Small Shipping or Handling Fee
After entering all of your personal information into the scam website’s forms, you will be asked to pay a small shipping, processing, or handling fee. This is usually $2-$5.
The scammers need your credit card information to charge you this small fee to confirm it is an active account. Paying this small amount also makes victims less likely to notice later unauthorized charges made by the scammers.
Step 7: No Prize Arrives and Identity Theft Begins
Despite paying the fee, you never receive the Dell Inspiron laptop (or any other prize). The scammers take your money, personal information, and credit card details without sending anything in return.
Your identity information is sold or used to commit other forms of fraud, including taking over your financial accounts or making unauthorized purchases in your name. Without realizing it, you have become a victim of identity theft that is difficult to undo.
How to Identify the Scam Emails
The scam emails pretending to be from Walmart and offering a free Dell laptop are designed to look legitimate, but there are several red flags you can watch for:
Check the Sender’s Email Address
Take a close look at the address the email is sent from. Scammers often spoof legitimate addresses like walmart@email.com, but look closely for misspellings or extra characters/words that indicate it’s fraudulent.
Look for Bad Grammar and Spelling
Phishing emails often contain typos, grammar mistakes and other errors a major retailer like Walmart would not make. Notice any signs of poor language skills.
Generic Greetings
Rather than addressing you by name, scam emails use generic phrases like “Dear Walmart Customer”. Real Walmart emails would personalize for known customers.
Urgency and Threats
Scammers want to incite urgency by saying you must act now or risk missing out on the prize laptop. Real promotions do not create such immediate pressure.
Unrelated Links
Hover over any links in the email to see the actual URL destination. Scam links often route to unrelated sites not affiliated with Walmart.
Request for Personal Info
Legitimate contests never require you to provide private account or identity details just to receive a prize. This is a huge red flag.
Mention of Fees
If an email claims you won a free prize but then asks for money for shipping and handling, it is likely a fraudulent attempt to get your credit card.
Stay vigilant and slow down to spot these signs of phishing. Delete any suspicious emails instead of clicking. If you’re unsure, contact Walmart directly to ask if a promotion is real.
What to Do If You Are Targeted by This Scam
If you receive one of these scam emails or think you may have fallen victim to the Walmart Dell Inspiron laptop phishing scam, there are important steps you should take right away:
Look for Red Flags in the Email
If an unsolicited email offering you a prize seems suspicious, look for these red flags before clicking anything:
- Generic greetings like “Dear Valued Customer” instead of using your name
- Typos, grammatical errors, or other spelling mistakes
- Requests for personal information to claim a prize
- Links to unrelated or suspicious websites
Any of these signs indicate the email is likely a scam attempt, not a legitimate message from Walmart. Delete the message immediately without clicking links or responding.
Avoid Clicking Links in the Email
The link included in the scam email will take you to a fake Walmart website run by the scammers to steal your information. Avoid clicking on any links.
Instead, if you want to visit the Walmart website, open a new browser window and manually type in Walmart.com. Never click email links claiming to be Walmart.
Check the Email Address of the Sender
Even if the email appears to be from an official Walmart email address at first glance, scammers can spoof legitimate business email addresses.
Look closer at the “From” email address – is it from an odd domain name not affiliated with Walmart? This is a giveaway it’s fraudulent.
Look for a Valid Walmart Domain
When you arrive at a website and want to confirm it’s Walmart’s legitimate site, check that the domain name is correct.
Walmart’s website will always be on a domain starting with walmart.com. If you see something like walmart-offer.com or walmartsweepstakes.net, immediately close the site – it’s fake.
Do Not Enter Personal Information
If prompted to provide sensitive personal, financial, or account information, do not enter anything into the forms on an unfamiliar website.
Even if the site looks just like Walmart, it could be a scam. No legitimate prize offer would require private data just for shipping.
Avoid Paying Any Fees
Never pay a fee just to claim a prize, even if it seems small. This is a tactic scammers use to get your credit card on file which allows them to make unauthorized charges.
Legitimate contests do not require you to pay shipping, processing, or handling fees in order to receive a prize. Entry and winning is free.
Monitor Your Accounts for Suspicious Activity
If you did provide any financial information, put a fraud alert on your credit cards and bank accounts. Watch closely for any unauthorized charges, cash withdrawals, or password changes.
The scammers may attempt to drain your accounts or steal your identity. Be proactive and stop fraudulent activity immediately.
Change Any Exposed Passwords
If you entered any account passwords or PINs into the scam website’s forms, change them right away. Assume your information is compromised.
Updating passwords and enabling two-factor authentication adds extra account protection to prevent identity theft.
Contact Walmart
Reach out to Walmart’s customer service team to notify them of the phishing scam emails using their name. You can also confirm whether there are any real laptop giveaways you might have won.
Walmart may want to take action against scammers misusing their brand and possibly harming customers. Their fraud department may also offer tips or assistance.
Report the Scam Activity
File reports about this scam with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), the FTC’s complaint assistant, and your local authorities. Provide details of the scam emails, websites, and any losses.
Your reports help law enforcement track down cybercrime activity and potentially stop these scams from duping other victims. Make reporting part of your response.
Sign Up for Credit Monitoring
Take advantage of credit monitoring services that watch for any suspicious changes to your credit report and alert you to possible identity theft. Many banks and credit card companies offer this service for free.
Monitoring your accounts, inquiries, new lines of credit, and more can catch fraudulent activity before it escalates. Be vigilant about protecting your identity.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Walmart Dell Laptop Scam
What is the Walmart Dell laptop scam?
The Walmart Dell laptop scam is a phishing scam where scammers send fake emails pretending to be from Walmart, informing victims they have won a free Dell Inspiron laptop. The emails include links to fake Walmart websites designed to steal personal and financial information.
How do scammers carry out this scam?
Scammers execute this scam by:
- Obtaining email addresses through illegal lists or by scraping them online
- Sending spoofed emails pretending the recipient has won a Dell laptop
- Providing believable details like Walmart branding and contest details
- Including links to convincing fake Walmart websites they have created
- Tricking victims into entering personal info and credit card numbers
- Charging small fees to confirm active cards for future fraudulent charges
- Stealing identities and financial account details for profit
What techniques do the scam emails use?
The scam emails use clever techniques like:
- Grabbing subject lines mentioning Walmart and prize wins
- Addressing recipients as valued customers
- Detail Dell laptop specs to entice interest
- Spoofing legitimate Walmart email addresses
- Urging recipients to click included links
- Creating a false sense of urgency to claim the prize
What happens when you click the link?
When you click the link in the scam email, you are taken to a fake website impersonating Walmart’s real website. The fraudulent site steals entered information.
What do the fake Walmart websites look like?
The scam websites appear nearly identical to the real Walmart site. They use Walmart’s logo, color scheme, images and branding throughout. Sometimes the only giveaway is a suspicious URL.
What information do the fake sites try to steal?
The fake websites try to steal personal data like:
- Full name and contact info
- Credit card numbers
- Account logins and passwords
- Answers to identity verification questions
- Other sensitive information
Do you have to pay anything for the prize laptop?
The scam emails claim the laptop is free, but the fake sites request small $2-$5 fees to cover shipping costs in order to obtain credit card info. Victims report unauthorized charges appearing afterwards.
What happens after victims enter information and pay fees?
After giving info and paying fees, victims never receive any prize. Instead, their data is used or sold by scammers. Unauthorized credit charges are made and accounts compromised.
What are some red flags to spot these scam emails?
Watch for these red flags:
- Spelling/grammar errors
- Requests for personal data
- Odd email addresses
- Threats to act now or miss out
- Links to unrelated websites
What should you do if you receive one of these scam emails?
If you get a suspicious email:
- Do not click any links
- Check the sender address
- Forward scam emails to Walmart
- Report the email as spam/fraud
- Watch for signs of identity theft
How can you avoid falling victim to the scam?
To avoid becoming a victim:
- Never click links in unsolicited emails
- Manually navigate to Walmart’s real website
- Never provide personal or financial data to win prizes
- Be wary of requests to pay shipping fees
- Monitor accounts closely for unauthorized charges
What should you do if you already fell for the scam?
If you fell for the scam, immediately:
- Contact banks/credit cards about unauthorized charges
- Place fraud alerts and check your credit reports
- Reset account passwords and set up two-factor authentication
- Report the scam to the FTC, FBI, Walmart and local police
- Sign up for credit monitoring to catch any new fraud
The Bottom Line
The Walmart Dell Inspiron laptop scam is an elaborate ruse designed to gather personal information and credit card details from recipients who think they have won an expensive prize. By mimicking Walmart’s branding, the phishing emails convince many victims to provide sensitive information to the scammers.
It’s important to recognize the red flags that indicate an email offer is a scam, like typos, requests for data, odd email addresses, and suspicious links. Avoid clicking any links, entering personal details, or paying fees to claim mysterious prizes. Monitor accounts closely for unauthorized charges and report any scam activity you encounter.
With awareness of common phishing techniques, recipients can protect themselves from falling for this and other prize scams. Always think twice before providing information or payment in relation to an unsolicited offer. Scrutinize emails purporting to come from major brands. By spotting the signs of scam attempts, you can keep your identity and accounts secure.
