Don’t Fall for Fake Orange Customer Reward Programs
Written by: Stelian Pilici
Published on:
Orange, one of the largest telecommunications companies in Europe, does not actually operate any customer reward programs that offer iPhones or other high-value prizes. Scammers have been using the Orange brand name to trick customers into fraudulent reward schemes designed to steal personal information and money. This article will uncover how the Orange customer reward scam works, provide tips to spot and avoid it, explain what to do if you are victimized, and answer frequently asked questions.
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How the Orange Customer Reward Program Scam Works
The Orange Customer Reward Program scam typically begins with an unsolicited email, pop-up ad, or text message that claims the recipient has been selected to participate in an Orange customer satisfaction survey. Completing the survey allegedly enters them into a prize drawing to win lavish rewards like an iPhone, gift cards, or Orange merchandise.
To build urgency, the scam notifications often say prizes are limited and recipients must complete the survey within a short timeframe. The notifications also emphasize the exclusivity of the offer, making targets feel special and fortunate to have been chosen.
If the person proceeds to the survey, they are asked a series of questions about Orange services and their satisfaction with the company. After finishing the survey, a congratulatory message states that as a “thank you” for providing feedback, the user can claim a guaranteed prize.
At this point, the scam pivots to extracting money and personal information from victims. Tactics include:
Asking for credit card information to pay a small “processing fee” for the prize
Requiring the input of sensitive data like full name, address, phone number, etc. to verify identity
Redirecting to phishing sites disguised as Orange or partner retailers
Often, those who comply will never receive any reward. Instead, their financial accounts are drained through recurring monthly subscriptions unknowingly signed up for via the processing fee payments. Their personal data also ends up in the hands of criminals for identity theft and other fraud.
Spotting the Telltale Signs of the Orange Customer Reward Program Scam
While the Orange Customer Reward Program scam emails and landing pages go to great lengths to appear legitimate, there are several red flags that can help identify this fraud:
Sense of urgency – Creating pressure to respond quickly is a common scam tactic to get people to act before thinking clearly. Real Orange surveys would not demand immediate action or have tight time windows.
Spelling and grammar mistakes – Phishing attempts often contain typos, awkward phrasing, and poor grammar. Emails from the real Orange would be professionally written.
Requests for sensitive information – Orange would never ask for financial account details, government ID numbers, passwords, etc. via email surveys. This is a huge red flag for data harvesting.
URLs from unrelated sites – Hover over links and check that they actually go to official Orange sites, not some random third-party domain created for scam purposes.
No verified Orange branding – Emails should originate from an @orange.com address and contain proper Orange logos, fonts, colors, and messaging.
Unprompted contact – Orange only sends surveys to customers who specifically opt-in to receive them. Out-of-the-blue contact about an alleged rewards program is suspicious.
Steer Clear of Suspicious Orange Customer Reward Program Offers
The safest approach is to steer clear of any unsolicited Orange rewards programs and surveys. Instead, only participate in contests or offers through verified channels like the official Orange website, stores, and customer service.
If contacted about a rewards program you never signed up for, do not click any links or provide the information requested. Report scam emails and texts to Orange Security and proactively change passwords on your Orange account as a precaution.
You can also register your phone number on the Do Not Call Registry to reduce unwanted contact from scammers impersonating Orange. Keep in mind that Orange does not conduct marketing via unsolicited calls or texts.
Steps to Take if You Provide Personal Details to Scammers
If you supplied any sensitive information through a scam Orange Customer Reward Program survey, take these steps right away to limit the damage:
Alert your bank – If credit/debit card details were entered anywhere, inform your bank immediately so they can deactivate the card and monitor for fraudulent charges.
Change Orange account passwords – Update your account passwords and security question answers to prevent criminals accessing your Orange services.
Watch for phishing attempts – Closely scrutinize any future emails purporting to come from Orange, as scammers may target you again now that they have your contact info.
Run anti-virus scans – If you entered details into a phishing site, scan your devices for malware that may have been downloaded.
Place fraud alerts – Contact credit agencies to set up fraud alerts on your credit reports to help prevent identity theft.
File police reports – Reporting the scam to local law enforcement creates an official record that could help if your identity is stolen later on.
Is Your Device Infected? Check for Malware
If your device is running slowly or acting suspicious, it may be infected with malware. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free is a great option for scanning your device and detecting potential malware or viruses. The free version can efficiently check for and remove many common infections.
Malwarebytes can run on Windows, Mac, and Android devices. Depending on which operating system is installed on the device you’re trying to run a Malwarebytes scan, please click on the tab below and follow the displayed steps.
Malwarebytes For WindowsMalwarebytes For MacMalwarebytes For Android
Scan your computer with Malwarebytes for Windows to remove malware
Malwarebytes stands out as one of the leading and widely-used anti-malware solutions for Windows, and for good reason. It effectively eradicates various types of malware that other programs often overlook, all at no cost to you. When it comes to disinfecting an infected device, Malwarebytes has consistently been a free and indispensable tool in the battle against malware. We highly recommend it for maintaining a clean and secure system.
Download Malwarebytes for Windows
You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below.
After the download is complete, locate the MBSetup file, typically found in your Downloads folder. Double-click on the MBSetup file to begin the installation of Malwarebytes on your computer. If a User Account Control pop-up appears, click “Yes” to continue the Malwarebytes installation.
Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, the setup wizard will guide you through the process.
You’ll first be prompted to choose the type of computer you’re installing the program on—select either “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” as appropriate, then click on Next.
Malwarebytes will now begin the installation process on your device.
When the Malwarebytes installation is complete, the program will automatically open to the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen.
On the final screen, simply click on the Open Malwarebytes option to start the program.
Enable “Rootkit scanning”.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start, and you will see the main screen as shown below. To maximize Malwarebytes’ ability to detect malware and unwanted programs, we need to enable rootkit scanning. Click on the “Settings” gear icon located on the left of the screen to access the general settings section.
In the settings menu, enable the “Scan for rootkits” option by clicking the toggle switch until it turns blue.
Now that you have enabled rootkit scanning, click on the “Dashboard” button in the left pane to get back to the main screen.
Perform a Scan with Malwarebytes.
To start a scan, click the Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its antivirus database and begin scanning your computer for malicious programs.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now scan your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Quarantine detected malware
Once the Malwarebytes scan is complete, it will display a list of detected malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. To effectively remove these threats, click the “Quarantine” button.
Malwarebytes will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the program’s quarantine.
Restart your computer.
When removing files, Malwarebytes may require a reboot to fully eliminate some threats. If you see a message indicating that a reboot is needed, please allow it. Once your computer has restarted and you are logged back in, you can continue with the remaining steps.
Your computer should now be free of trojans, adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed this malicious program on your computer, you may want to consider purchasing Malwarebytes Premium to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Scan your computer with Malwarebytes for Mac to remove malware
Malwarebytes for Mac is an on-demand scanner that can destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss without costing you absolutely anything. When it comes to cleaning up an infected device, Malwarebytes has always been free, and we recommend it as an essential tool in the fight against malware.
Download Malwarebytes for Mac.
You can download Malwarebytes for Mac by clicking the link below.
When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the setup file to install Malwarebytes on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes.
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes for Mac Installer which will guide you through the installation process. Click “Continue“, then keep following the prompts to continue with the installation process.
When your Malwarebytes installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen. Click the “Get started” button.
Select “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer”.
The Malwarebytes Welcome screen will first ask you what type of computer are you installing this program, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.
Click on “Scan”.
To scan your computer with Malwarebytes, click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes for Mac will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for malware.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will scan your computer for adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Quarantine”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected. To remove the malware that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine” button.
Restart computer.
Malwarebytes will now remove all the malicious files that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.
Your Mac should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious program on your computer, you might want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove a malicious program from your computer, please ask for help in our Mac Malware Removal Help & Support forum.
Scan your phone with Malwarebytes for Android to remove malware
Malwarebytes for Android automatically detects and removes dangerous threats like malware and ransomware so you don’t have to worry about your most-used device being compromised. Aggressive detection of adware and potentially unwanted programs keeps your Android phone or tablet running smooth.
Download Malwarebytes for Android.
You can download Malwarebytes for Android by clicking the link below.
In the Google Play Store, tap “Install” to install Malwarebytes for Android on your device.
When the installation process has finished, tap “Open” to begin using Malwarebytes for Android. You can also open Malwarebytes by tapping on its icon in your phone menu or home screen.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process
When Malwarebytes will open, you will see the Malwarebytes Setup Wizard which will guide you through a series of permissions and other setup options. This is the first of two screens that explain the difference between the Premium and Free versions. Swipe this screen to continue. Tap on “Got it” to proceed to the next step. Malwarebytes for Android will now ask for a set of permissions that are required to scan your device and protect it from malware. Tap on “Give permission” to continue. Tap on “Allow” to permit Malwarebytes to access the files on your phone.
Update database and run a scan with Malwarebytes for Android
You will now be prompted to update the Malwarebytes database and run a full system scan.
Click on “Update database” to update the Malwarebytes for Android definitions to the latest version, then click on “Run full scan” to perform a system scan.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now start scanning your phone for adware and other malicious apps. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Remove Selected”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes for Android has detected. To remove the malicious apps that Malwarebytes has found, tap on the “Remove Selected” button.
Restart your phone.
Malwarebytes for Android will now remove all the malicious apps that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your device.
Your phone should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious app on your phone, you may want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your phone after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Restore your phone to factory settings by going to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset.
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about this scam targeting Orange customers:
Is there really an Orange customer reward program?
No. Orange does not contact customers promising rewards or prizes for answering surveys. Any such offers are fraudulent phishing attempts, not real Orange promotions.
Can I get scammed just by taking an Orange survey?
Yes. The surveys themselves are simply a way to harvest personal information. You do not have to make any payments to risk identity theft from providing details to scammers.
What should I do if I already provided my information to the scammers?
Immediately contact your bank if you shared financial account info and follow all the steps outlined above to protect your identity. Do not provide any additional info if scammers contact you again.
Why do the scam offers seem so realistic?
Scammers intentionally make the emails, texts, and websites look authentic by using corporate logos and messaging. But upon closer inspection, there are always red flags that reveal their fraudulent nature.
Who is behind the customer reward scam?
These scams are run by criminal groups seeking to steal personal data and money. By pretending to be Orange, they take advantage of the company’s reputation to trick customers.
Don’t Be Fooled by the Orange Customer Reward Scam
In summary, be vigilant of any unsolicited contacts claiming you can win prizes by participating in an Orange customer survey. Orange does not operate such reward programs. These scam offers are designed to steal financial and personal information under the guise of a customer satisfaction questionnaire. Always verify the legitimacy of any Orange communications, look for red flags, and avoid providing data to unverified sources. If you have been victimized, take steps immediately to protect your identity and accounts from criminal misuse. Spread awareness so others do not fall prey to this insidious scam.
How to Stay Safe Online
Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:
Use a good antivirus and keep it up-to-date.
It's essential to use a good quality antivirus and keep it up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. We are huge fans of Malwarebytes Premium and use it on all of our devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well as our mobile devices. Malwarebytes sits beside your traditional antivirus, filling in any gaps in its defenses, and providing extra protection against sneakier security threats.
Keep software and operating systems up-to-date.
Keep your operating system and apps up to date. Whenever an update is released for your device, download and install it right away. These updates often include security fixes, vulnerability patches, and other necessary maintenance.
Be careful when installing programs and apps.
Pay close attention to installation screens and license agreements when installing software. Custom or advanced installation options will often disclose any third-party software that is also being installed. Take great care in every stage of the process and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next."
Install an ad blocker.
Use a browser-based content blocker, like AdGuard. Content blockers help stop malicious ads, Trojans, phishing, and other undesirable content that an antivirus product alone may not stop.
Be careful what you download.
A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather.
Be alert for people trying to trick you.
Whether it's your email, phone, messenger, or other applications, always be alert and on guard for someone trying to trick you into clicking on links or replying to messages. Remember that it's easy to spoof phone numbers, so a familiar name or number doesn't make messages more trustworthy.
Back up your data.
Back up your data frequently and check that your backup data can be restored. You can do this manually on an external HDD/USB stick, or automatically using backup software. This is also the best way to counter ransomware. Never connect the backup drive to a computer if you suspect that the computer is infected with malware.
Choose strong passwords.
Use strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid using personal information or easily guessable words in your passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts whenever possible.
Be careful where you click.
Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. These could potentially contain malware or phishing scams.
Don't use pirated software.
Avoid using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing programs, keygens, cracks, and other pirated software that can often compromise your data, privacy, or both.
To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it's important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.
Meet Stelian Pilici
Stelian leverages over a decade of cybersecurity expertise to lead malware analysis and removal, uncover scams, and educate people. His experience provides insightful analysis and valuable perspective.
