Over the past few weeks, a new scam has been making the rounds on social media that claims Jennifer Lopez is giving away free Le Creuset cookware. Promoted heavily on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, these sponsored posts use fake AI-generated videos of Jennifer Lopez announcing that due to a packing error, she is giving away Le Creuset cookware sets to fans for free. Do not fall for this scam! Here is everything you need to know about how this giveaway scam works and how to protect yourself.
Overview of the Scam
The Jennifer Lopez Le Creuset giveaway scam is being heavily promoted on Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube through sponsored posts and ads. These social media ads use attention-grabbing headlines and deep fake AI-generated videos of Jennifer Lopez to trick users into clicking.
Here are some examples of the Facebook ads being used to spread this scam:
“Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to get a 20 piece FREE cookware set courtsey of JLO – click the link and get yours before it’s too late! CELESTESTRENGTHPLANET.COM Claim Your Free 2024 Lé Creuset Today!”
This sponsored post includes an AI-generated video of Jennifer Lopez smiling and holding up a Le Creuset pan. The headline creates urgency and exclusivity around a free giveaway of a 20-piece Le Creuset cookware set “courtesy of JLO.” It encourages users to click through to the website celestestrengthplanet.com to claim the offer.
“Hey guys, great news! I have partnered with Lé Creuset for another amazing GIFT-AWAY. We’re giving away FREE 3000 piece cookware sets! ❤️❤️ CELESTESTRENGTHPLANET.COM Lopez Announces HUGE Give-away!”
Another version mentions an alleged partnership between JLo and Le Creuset for a major giveaway. It includes red heart emojis and words like “HUGE” and “FREE” to grab attention. The website listed is the same celestestrengthplanet.com used in other versions of the scam ads.
“I’m back again with another crazy giveaway from Lé Creuset – This time we’re giving away FREE cookware sets! CITRONACTIVE.COM JLO’s MEGA Giveaway is Here!”
A third variant mentions JLo is partnering with Le Creuset again for another “crazy” and “MEGA” giveaway, emphasizing the free cookware sets. The website has changed to citronactive.com but still links to the same scam.
These Facebook ads are designed to get users excited about a celebrity-endorsed freebie and click through to the scam website before realizing it’s fake. They take advantage of real brand names like Jennifer Lopez and Le Creuset to build trust and credibility.
After clicking on the video or ad, users are taken to a fake news article hosted on a scam website. The article claims that by paying a small $9.96 shipping fee, you can receive a free Le Creuset cookware set or cookbook. However, what isn’t made clear is that by entering your credit card information, you are actually signing up for a “trial” program that will start charging you $89.95 after 5 days, followed by additional $89.95 charges every 30 days.
This is a deceptive subscription scam that tricks users into handing over their credit card information under the guise of only having to pay shipping. In reality, victims are unknowingly enrolled in expensive recurring subscriptions that are very difficult to cancel.
The scam takes advantage of Jennifer Lopez’s celebrity status and the popularity of Le Creuset cookware to lure in unsuspecting social media users. The fake AI videos and articles are designed to look authentic in order to build trust and convince potential victims to hand over their credit card information.
How the Scam Works Step-by-Step
Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how the Jennifer Lopez Le Creuset giveaway scam operates:
- You see a sponsored post on social media – The scam ads are designed to look like real celebrity posts and news articles. They use AI-generated images and videos of celebrities like Jennifer Lopez. The captions mention a special giveaway due to a shipping error that allows fans to claim free Le Creuset cookware.
- The ad links to a fake news article – When you click on the giveaway ad, you are taken to a fake article hosted on a scam website disguised as a real news site like Fox News, CNN, NBC, etc. The article reiterates the story about receiving free Le Creuset products due to a packing mistake.
- The article asks you to pay a small shipping fee – Buried in the article text is a note that in order to claim your free gift you must pay a small $9.96 shipping and processing fee. This is made to seem like you are just covering the cost of shipping.
- You enter your credit card info to pay the fee – On the checkout page, you enter your name, address, phone number, and credit card information to pay the $9.96 shipping cost.
- You are automatically enrolled in expensive subscriptions – What you are not told is that by entering your credit card information and clicking “Complete Purchase”, you are enrolling in expensive subscription plans that will charge you $89.95 every 5 days for an initial “trial” period, followed by $89.95 monthly recurring charges.
- The subscriptions are very difficult to cancel – The checkout pages do not provide any information about the subscriptions or how to properly cancel. Victims find it extremely difficult to stop the recurring charges once they start.
- You never receive the promised free Le Creuset product – After completing the checkout process and paying the $9.96 fee, victims never receive any free cookware or book. The entire giveaway is fake and used solely to steal your money through monthly subscription fees.
In summary, the scam gets victims to willingly hand over their credit card information under the false pretense of paying a small shipping fee for a celebrity giveaway prize. But in reality, you are unknowingly signing up for expensive subscriptions that are nearly impossible to cancel once charges begin.
How to Spot the Scam on Social Media
The Jennifer Lopez Le Creuset giveaway scam is being promoted across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other social platforms. Here are some tips to recognize the scam ads on each platform so you can avoid falling victim:
Identifying the Scam on Facebook
- Headlines use clickbait language like “Don’t miss this!”, “Limited time”, “Claim yours now!” combined with JLo’s name and free Le Creuset cookware.
- Uses fake images of Jennifer Lopez smiling while holding Le Creuset pots and pans. The images may look slightly distorted or unnatural.
- Video ads show deepfake AI-generated footage of JLo talking directly to viewers about her “partnership” with Le Creuset and the special giveaway.
- Ad copy includes instructions to visit a website and pay a small shipping fee to receive your free cookware set from the official “JLo Giveaway”.
- The website domain being linked to is usually registered within the last month and contains random words like “celadonfitness” or “citronactive”.
- If you see a Facebook ad for a JLo and Le Creuset giveaway that seems suspicious, click the three dots icon and select “Why am I seeing this ad?” to report it as a scam.
Recognizing the Scam on Instagram
- Sponsored posts use the same fake images of JLo and refer to an exclusive giveaway for Le Creuset cookware in the caption.
- The video ads contain deepfakes of Jennifer Lopez announcing the special gift packs she is giving away in partnership with Le Creuset.
- The Instagram account names often include words like “Giveaways”, “Contests”, “Sweepstakes” and are followed by thousands of people.
- The accounts will have little engagement on posts and may have been created recently or have old recycled follower lists.
- The link in their profile leads to a scam website registered in the last 30 days rather than the official Le Creuset site.
- Report scam accounts immediately to Instagram by tapping the three dots icon on their profile and choosing “Report”.
Spotting the TikTok Scam Accounts
- Video ads use the same deepfake AI footage of Jennifer Lopez used on other platforms announcing the free Le Creuset giveaway.
- The TikTok accounts using the scam ads have few followers, zero engagement on posts, and generic stock profile images.
- The link in their TikTok profile goes to a clearly fake news site instead of Le Creuset’s official website.
- TikTok scam accounts tend to have names that include “giveaway” or “sweepstakes” and post multiple videos of different celebrity endorsements.
- Report suspicious accounts by tapping the share arrow on their video post and select “Report”. Choose “Scam or Fraud” as the reason.
The best way to avoid falling for the Jennifer Lopez Le Creuset scam is being able to recognize the typical patterns used no matter which social platform you encounter it on. Report fake celebrity endorsement ads whenever possible to help take down the accounts perpetuating this scam.
How to Spot the Fake Giveaway Websites
The ads and social media posts promoting the supposed Jennifer Lopez Le Creuset giveaway direct users to fake news websites that are part of the scam. Here are some tips to recognize these fraudulent sites:
- The website domain name will be a random mix of words like “celadonfitness” or “citronactive” rather than real news sites like FoxNews.com.
- Check the domain registration date – scam sites will be registered very recently, usually within the last 1-2 months.
- The site branding mimics legit news sites like CNN and Fox News but the logo will be slightly off if you look closely.
- Headlines on the site reference the JLo and Le Creuset giveaway promotion using the same fake images from social media ads.
- Article text reiterates details of the special giveaway due to a packing error and an exclusive deal between Jennifer Lopez and Le Creuset.
- Sections of the article instruct users to click a button to claim their free cookware set, while fine print hides the additional subscriptions.
- There are multiple similar articles on the site about different celebrity giveaways from Ryan Reynolds, Meryl Streep and others.
- The contact page only includes a web form and the “About Us” sections remain unfilled using Lorem Ipsum dummy text.
- Most links on the site lead nowhere or to 404 errors, except for the checkout button to claim your “free” gift.
- Pop-up windows appear urging you to act fast before the limited supply is gone adding more pressure.
Do not provide any personal or payment information on sites you suspect to be fraudulent. Use a WHOIS lookup tool on the domain name to research when it was registered and trace it back to the scammers.
What to Do If You Have Fallen Victim to This Scam
If you entered your credit card information on one of these Jennifer Lopez Le Creuset giveaway scam websites, here are some steps you should take right away:
- Call your credit card company – Immediately contact your credit card provider and explain that you were scammed into an unauthorized auto-renewal subscription. Ask them to reverse any pending charges and block future charges from the merchant.
- Review your statements – Carefully review your credit card statements for any charges from unfamiliar merchants related to the giveaway offer. Look for merchant names like “JL Home Collection”, “Limited Time Offers”, or other vague descriptions. Dispute all unauthorized charges with your credit card company.
- Cancel subscriptions – Try to cancel any active subscriptions by calling customer service numbers listed on the checkout page or other order confirmation emails you received. Be prepared for them to make cancellation difficult or try to convince you to keep the subscription. Insist on immediate cancellation.
- Issue a chargeback – If the merchant refuses to refund unauthorized charges, ask your credit card company to issue a chargeback. Provide all details on how the payments were taken without authorization through a deceptive free trial scam. This initiates a refund process.
- Monitor statements – Keep monitoring statements closely for 1-2 billing cycles. Sometimes scam merchants will attempt additional charges even after cancelling. Dispute any new unauthorized charges right away.
- Change payment info – Once you’ve secured refunds on all fraudulent charges, consider updating payment information for any other active subscriptions to prevent the scam merchants from re-billing you. Remove any stored payment information whenever possible.
- Block the source – Try to determine where the initial sponsored post/ad originated and block that source. This could be a specific social media account, website, or advertisement publisher. This prevents you from encountering similar scams in the future.
- Report fraud – File reports with scam warning sites, the FTC, and your state attorney general’s office. Provide all details of the scam to help warn others and potentially stop those behind the scam.
- Set up alerts – Contact your bank and set up transaction alerts for any purchases over a certain dollar amount. Monitoring account activity closely helps identify fraudulent charges faster.
The most important steps are acting quickly to stop payments and cancel any scam subscriptions. If you acted fast enough, you may be able to get all fraudulent charges reversed before the scammers can steal your money.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Jennifer Lopez Le Creuset Giveaway Scam
Is the Jennifer Lopez Le Creuset giveaway real?
No, this giveaway is a complete scam. Jennifer Lopez has no actual partnership with Le Creuset and is not giving away free cookware sets. The ads are using fake AI-generated images and videos of JLo to mislead people.
How does the Jennifer Lopez Le Creuset scam work?
The scam convinces people to click on social media ads that promise a free Le Creuset cookware set courtesy of Jennifer Lopez. You are then sent to a fake news website and asked to pay a $9.96 shipping fee to claim your “free gift”. This enrolls you in expensive monthly subscription plans without proper consent.
What happens when you enter your credit card information?
By entering your credit card data to pay the $9.96 shipping fee, you are automatically signing up for recurring subscription charges of $89.95 every 5 days during an initial “trial period”, followed by $89.95 monthly recurring billing.
Are the free gifts people receive real Le Creuset products?
No. There are no actual free products being given away. The entire premise is fabricated to collect credit card information under the guise of a celebrity giveaway promotion. Victims receive nothing.
How much does the shipping fee cost?
The ads promise free gifts only requiring a small $9.96 shipping and processing fee. However, this leads to much larger recurring credit card charges by enrolling you in expensive monthly subscriptions without proper notice or consent.
What are the recurring credit card charges for?
After paying the $9.96 fee, victims find recurring subscription charges from sketchy merchants for $89.95 every few days, followed by monthly. These charges are for undisclosed monthly subscription plans you are signed up for without clear notice.
Is it possible to cancel the subscriptions?
It can be very difficult to cancel the auto-renewal subscriptions once your credit card is on file and charges begin. Shady merchants make it hard to stop recurring billing. Immediately call your credit card company to report fraud if you suspect unauthorized charges.
How can I spot this scam on social media?
Be wary of too-good-to-be-true giveaways, check account details of sponsors, look for fake images and videos, be alert for urgent calls-to-action, and inspect any links carefully before clicking. Report suspicious posts.
What are some tips to avoid the scam?
Don’t click on questionable social media ads, especially celebrity endorsements involving free gifts. Research unfamiliar websites before entering info. Monitor statements closely and report any unauthorized charges right away to your credit card provider.
Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions about identifying and avoiding this deceptive giveaway scam being promoted online. Recognizing these types of scams is key to protecting yourself from unintended charges or stolen personal information.
The Bottom Line on the Scam
In summary, the supposed Jennifer Lopez Le Creuset giveaway promotion being promoted on social media is a complete scam designed to steal money through recurring subscription fees. Here are some key takeaways:
- There is no real giveaway or free Le Creuset products being offered. The entire premise is fake and used to mislead victims.
- Clicking on the ads or fake articles will enroll you in expensive monthly subscription plans without proper consent.
- The small $9.96 shipping fee is just a ploy to get your credit card on file which they use to start fraudulent recurring charges.
- Once scam merchants have your payment information it can be extremely difficult to cancel the subscriptions or stop new charges from occurring.
- You should immediately contact your credit card company if you suspect you have fallen victim to the scam and provided any personal or financial information.
- Blocking the sources of the scam ads, monitoring statements, and reporting fraud are also very important steps to prevent continued theft.
With the rise in AI-generated fake celebrity imagery and videos, scams like this Le Creuset giveaway promotion will only become more commonplace on social platforms. Always think twice when see free giveaways tied to celebrities as they are almost always too good to be true. Protect yourself by looking for the warning signs of a scam and taking steps to stop any unauthorized charges right away. Avoid becoming the victim of viral gift scams preying on your desire for free popular merchandise.
