The LEGO Millennium Falcon giveaway scam has been circulating on social media, luring Star Wars fans with the false promise of a free 7,500 piece LEGO set. This scam uses fake ads and websites to trick users into signing up for subscription services and giving up their credit card information.
Overview of the Scam
This predatory scam takes advantage of people’s affinity for the Star Wars franchise and desire to own the iconic Millennium Falcon LEGO set. The ads promise social media users the chance to claim a free Millennium Falcon set by completing a short survey. However, the survey pages redirect to fake third-party websites that have nothing to do with LEGO. These scam websites design their pages to closely resemble official LEGO sites. They ask for personal and payment information under the guise of a small shipping fee. In reality, this gives them the ability to enroll victims in unwanted monthly subscription plans.
The scam cycle starts with targeted ads run on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. The ads claim to offer the chance to get a free LEGO set through LEGO’s “survey program.” Simply complete a short questionnaire and pay a small shipping fee, and the $800 Millennium Falcon set is yours.
This promise of an expensive LEGO set for free is enticing bait. For Star Wars and LEGO fans, the Millennium Falcon set is the holy grail. The ads urge users to act quickly, as supply is limited.
When users click through to claim the offer, they are taken to third-party websites designed to mimic LEGO’s official web pages. These fake LEGO survey pages assure users they are moments away from scoring a free Millennium Falcon. All they need to do is answer a few short questions to help LEGO “improve their products and services.”
After completing the survey, users are redirected to a shipping page. This is when the scam truly begins. The page requests personal information like name, address, email, and phone number to process the “free” order. Then it asks for credit card details with the promise that users will only be charged a small shipping and handling fee of $5 to $10.
In reality, these websites are run by shady third-party affiliate marketers who pocket the shipping fee while signing up victims for unwanted monthly subscriptions. The products can include electronics, lifestyle services, and more. Most people do not realize what has happened until the first month’s charges show up on their credit card statement.
This LEGO scam takes advantage of consumer excitement over the release of new Star Wars movies and series that feature the Millennium Falcon. The ship’s iconic status makes it the perfect bait. Combined with fake ads and websites designed to look like official LEGO pages, many consumers are falling for this trap.
How the Scam Works
The LEGO Millennium Falcon giveaway scam ensnares victims through a step-by-step process:
1. Fake Social Media Ads
The scam starts with fake ads on social platforms like Facebook and Instagram. They promote a special LEGO promotion that offers the chance to get a free Millennium Falcon set by taking a short survey. The ads use hype language about limited availability and urge users to “claim” the deal now. Photos of the iconic ship catch the eye of Star Wars fans.
2. Clicking Through to Fake Survey Pages
When users click through on the ads, they are taken to websites made to resemble official LEGO survey pages. The sites have LEGO branding and stock photos of LEGO products. At the top, large text reiterates the false promise of a free Millennium Falcon set in exchange for feedback.
3. Filling Out the Fake Survey
On the survey page, users are asked to complete questions about LEGO shopping habits and brand satisfaction. The surveys are short, usually around 3 to 5 questions, taking less than a minute to complete. This lends credibility to the scam, making victims believe they are providing LEGO with feedback.
4. Redirect to Fake Shipping Pages
After submitting the survey, victims are redirected to a shipping page. This page congratulates them on qualifying for their “free” LEGO set. It then requests personal and payment details to cover a small $5 to $10 shipping fee.
5. Inputting Personal and Payment Information
Believing the scam, users input the requested personal information like name, shipping address, phone number, and email address. They also enter credit card details to pay the shipping fee. Little do they know, this enables shady third-parties to enroll them in unwanted monthly subscriptions.
6. Credit Cards Charged for Monthly Subscriptions
Within a month, victims find recurring charges on their credit card statement from unfamiliar merchant names. The small shipping fee is joined by monthly subscription fees around $50 to $100 for products users didn’t authorize. Some frequent charges linked to this LEGO scam include:
- Movie and TV streaming sites
- Electronic device protection plans
- Anti-virus and anti-malware software
- Ebooks and digital magazines
- Adult sites and services
- Horoscope and tarot reading sites
- Cloud storage services
- Virtual phone services
By this point, the scam is complete. Users’ personal information has been compromised and credit cards charged before they realized what happened. The fake LEGO promotion is long gone after claiming its victims.
How to Spot This Scam on Social Media and Scam Websites
The LEGO Millennium Falcon giveaway scam relies on social media ads and fake websites designed to look like official LEGO pages. Here are tips to recognize this scam on social platforms and fraudulent sites:
Watch for These Red Flags on Social Media:
- Ads promoting a free or low-cost LEGO Millennium Falcon set for filling out a quick survey.
- Use of urgent language like “limited time offer!” or “claim your free set now!”
- Link goes to a website with a URL that is not an official LEGO domain.
- Page has lots of posts about the giveaway from accounts with generic names and no profile photos.
- Comments on the posts are all positive and generic, likely bots or fake accounts.
- The ad may disappear quickly and then reappear under a different name.
Here’s How to Identify the Fraudulent Sites:
- URL of the website is not an official LEGO domain, often containing words like “survey,” “giveaway” or “prize.”
- Page branding, logos, and images mimic the look of official LEGO site.
- Page headline references a LEGO Millennium Falcon giveaway promotion.
- Short survey asking for feedback on LEGO shopping habits and brand satisfaction.
- After survey, redirected to a shipping page requesting personal and payment info.
- Site has no working contact info, only online contact forms.
- No physical address listed, or address is for an unrelated business.
- Reviews are all positive, from suspicious or fake profiles.
- Domain registration details hidden behind proxy services.
Carefully inspecting social media posts and websites will enable you to recognize the LEGO scam before falling victim. Only provide information through official LEGO channels and be wary of too-good-to-be-true free offers.
What to Do if You Are a Victim of This Scam
If you fell for the LEGO Millennium Falcon giveaway scam, take the following steps to stop the fraudulent charges and protect your information:
Cancel the credit or debit card used – Call your credit card company or bank to report the fraudulent charges and cancel your current card. Request that a new card be issued with a new card number. This will prevent further unauthorized charges.
Contact and dispute the charges – Identify all the unfamiliar merchant charges linked to this scam on your statement. Call the card company to dispute each fraudulent charge. Explain it is part of a larger scam you did not authorize.
Review transactions regularly – Carefully review your card statements each month to identify any new fraudulent activity quickly. Look out for small trial deposits that may precede larger unauthorized charges.
Monitor your credit reports – Get free credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to check for any accounts opened without your permission. Consider putting a credit freeze in place to prevent scammers from opening new accounts.
Beware of any calls about cancelling subscriptions – You may get phone calls claiming they can cancel the unwanted subscriptions on your behalf. Ignore these – they are an attempt to further the scam.
Change account passwords – If you used the same email and password combination on LEGO survey scam pages as for your actual important accounts, change your passwords.
Use an Identity Theft Protection service – Consider signing up for identity theft monitoring to catch any potential misuse of your information. Many credit card companies now offer these services for free.
Report the scam – File reports with the FTC Complaint Assistant and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Also report fake social media ads to the platforms where you saw them. The more claims that are filed, the more likely these scams will be shut down.
Frequently Asked Questions About the LEGO Millennium Falcon Giveaway Scam
1. What is the LEGO Millennium Falcon giveaway scam?
The LEGO Millennium Falcon giveaway scam is a fraudulent affiliate marketing scheme that uses fake social media ads and spoofed websites to trick users. The scam promises a free LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon set to those who complete a short survey. However, it is a ploy to steal personal information and sign people up for unwanted monthly subscription services without their consent.
2. How does the LEGO Millennium Falcon scam work?
The scam begins with promotional ads run on sites like Facebook and Instagram, advertising a special LEGO promotion giving away free Millennium Falcon sets. Those who click on the ads are taken to fake LEGO survey pages and asked to provide feedback in exchange for the free set. After completing the survey, they are redirected to a shipping page that requests personal info and credit card details to pay a small $5-$10 shipping fee. In reality, this enables shady third-parties to enroll victims in high-cost monthly subscriptions without authorization.
3. What happens after victims complete the survey and input their information?
Soon after completing the “survey” and inputting their personal and payment details, victims find recurring unauthorized subscription charges on their credit card statements. The charges come from unfamiliar merchant names and range from $50-$100 per month. The subscriptions may be for sites and services related to electronics, streaming media, ebooks, cloud storage, phone services, and more. All were signed up for without the victim’s consent.
4. What types of monthly charges are associated with this scam?
Some common monthly charges tied to the LEGO Millennium Falcon scam include streaming media sites, device protection plans, antivirus software, ebooks/magazines, adult sites, psychic reading services, cloud storage, and virtual phone services. However, unauthorized subscriptions can be of any nature.
5. How can you identify the LEGO Millennium Falcon scam?
Warning signs include social media ads promoting free LEGO sets for completing quick surveys, survey pages with LEGO branding that ask for personal information, redirects to shipping pages that request credit card info for a small shipping fee, and soon after, mysterious monthly charges from unknown merchants.
6. What should you do if you fell victim to this scam?
Immediately cancel the credit/debit card used and request a new one be issued. Identify and dispute all fraudulent charges. Monitor credit reports and consider a freeze. Change account passwords that may have been compromised. Sign up for identity theft protection services. Report the scam to the FTC, FBI, social media platforms, and your card provider.
7. How can you protect yourself from the LEGO Millennium Falcon scam?
Be wary of online free offers, especially through social media ads. Avoid clicking links in ads and go directly to official brand sites instead. Don’t provide personal or payment information without verifying the legitimacy of offers. Monitor financial accounts routinely for any unauthorized activity. Use strong unique passwords on all accounts.
8. What is LEGO doing to stop these scams?
LEGO is actively working to get fraudulent ads removed from platforms like Facebook and Instagram. They advise fans to only trust promotions from official LEGO owned pages and websites. LEGO reminds customers they do not engage in online survey programs or request personal info for contests and giveaways.
9. Where can you report fake LEGO offers and pages?
You can report fraudulent ads, websites and social media pages misusing the LEGO name to LEGO directly via email at security@LEGO.com. Make sure to include screenshots and specifics that can aid in getting scam pages removed.
10. How can you stay up to date on real LEGO promotions?
To learn about legitimate giveaways and promotions, subscribe to LEGO’s official newsletter and follow their social media pages. Check LEGO’s official websites regularly for sweepstakes opportunities as well. Only provide info through official LEGO forms and verified pages.
The Bottom Line
The LEGO Millennium Falcon giveaway scam uses nostalgia for the iconic Star Wars ship to bait fans. Fake social media ads, spoofed websites, and fraudulent charges make this scam devastating for victims. If you fell for this trap, take action immediately to halt charges and protect your identity. Be extremely wary of too-good-to-be-true offers and social media giveaways. When in doubt, go directly to a brand’s official website for promotions rather than trusting third-party advertisements. Stay vigilant to keep your personal and financial information secure.
