Have you seen ads on Facebook lately offering an amazing deal on a McCormick spice set for just $14.95? Be warned – this “too good to be true” offer is actually a clever scam designed to trick you into expensive recurring subscription charges.
In this article, we’ll dive into how this sneaky spice set scam works and what you can do to protect yourself.
Scam Overview
The McCormick spice set scam ads typically claim the company is offering a heavily discounted or even free spice rack as part of a special promotion, like a 135th anniversary celebration. The ads often feature convincing photos of a deluxe wooden spice rack filled with McCormick spices and seasonings. Some versions impersonate McCormick employees claiming they want to secretly share this special deal with the public.
However, the ads are completely fake. When you click the link, instead of going to the real McCormick website, you get directed to deceptive sites like gentleharmony.life, securedspot.vip, appwinz.com and other fraudulent domains. These sites are professionally designed to look like legitimate McCormick promotions, complete with branded logos and imagery.
The scam sites claim you just need to pay a small shipping fee, usually $1.95 to $5.95, to get your spice set. But when you input your credit card info, you unwittingly get signed up for a subscription trap that will hit you with charges of $89.95 after a short 5-day trial period, and then ongoing monthly charges of $89.95. The scammers may invent different backstories for the “giveaway” like surplus inventory, packaging errors, loyalty rewards, and more.
How the Scam Works
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how victims get lured into the McCormick spice set scam:
Step 1: The Bait – Irresistible Spice Set Ads Circulate on Facebook
The scam begins with highly enticing ads popping up in Facebook news feeds claiming you can get a McCormick spice set for an unbelievable price, often just $14.95 or even free with a small shipping fee. The professional-looking ads either claim to be an official promotion celebrating a company milestone like a 135th anniversary, or a special “insider deal” secretly shared by a McCormick employee.
Step 2: Clicking the Ad Leads to Convincing McCormick Branded Scam Sites
Clicking on the ad link takes the unsuspecting victim not to the legitimate McCormick website, but to sites like gentleharmony.life, securedspot.vip, appwinz.com or other scam domains carefully crafted to spoof the real brand. Fake logos, promotional imagery, and a seemingly-authentic branded web design convince victims this is a real McCormick offer.
Step 3: Bogus Survey Questions Add False Legitimacy
To add an air of legitimacy and further disguise the scam, victims first need to answer a few simple survey questions like “Do you use McCormick spices?” and “Would you like to receive your spice rack?” with Yes/No options before getting to the checkout page. This makes the offer seem more exclusive and valid.
Step 4: Small Shipping Fee Secretly Enrolls Victims in Pricey Subscription
After completing the short survey, victims reach a page asking them to pay a nominal shipping fee, usually $1.95 to $5.95, to get their heavily discounted or free spice set. What the scam sites fail to clearly disclose is that paying this fee actually enrolls you in a costly subscription trap.
Step 5: Real Subscription Details Hidden in Fine Print
In tiny, greyed-out fine print often designed to go unnoticed, the scam sites mention that after a short 5-day “trial period”, you’ll be charged a whopping $89.95 subscription fee, and then $89.95 per month thereafter. But victims excited by the spice set deal rarely see these hidden stipulations before hitting submit on the shipping fee.
Step 6: Victims Get Hit With Recurring Subscription Charges, No Spices
After paying the small shipping fee and unwittingly signing up for a subscription, victims start getting immediately hit with a slew of unauthorized charges. Instead of any spice rack, their credit card statements show an $89.95 charge 5 days after the initial “shipping fee”, and then ongoing $89.95 charges every 30 days for bogus items like PDF reader software, book/movie clubs, and other unwanted subscriptions.
Step 7: Scammers Avoid Detection With Vanishing Sites
If victims try to go back to the original spice set promotion website, they find the site URL now just turns up a 404 “page not found” or 403 “access forbidden” error message. This is a deliberate tactic used by scammers to make the fraudulent sites quickly vanish after the initial batch of victims arrives via the Facebook ads, to avoid detection and stay one step ahead of shutdown attempts.
Step 8: Fake Contact Info and Unresponsive “Customer Service” Thwart Refunds
Victims who attempt to call or email the scam company to cancel the subscription or demand refunds frequently discover the contact information is fake or they simply receive no response. Even if they manage to cancel future charges, getting refunds on the fraudulent subscription fees already paid is often a losing battle. Some scammers may even have the audacity to offer partial refunds or “discounted” subscription continuations to stop victims from doing a full chargeback or reporting the scam to authorities.
What To Do If You’re a Victim
If you’ve fallen for the McCormick spice set scam, take these steps to protect yourself and recover your money:
1. Contact your credit card company or bank immediately and report the fraudulent charges. Request a chargeback on the subscription fees and any other unauthorized charges.
2. Check your card statements carefully for additional charges from the scam company or other suspicious merchants. The scammers may have signed you up for multiple subscriptions.
3. Cancel your credit card if scammers charged it. Consider reporting the scam to agencies like the FTC, BBB, or your state attorney general’s office.
4. Be wary of any future communication from the scam company. They may try to continue billing you even after you cancel. Watch out for lookalike scam sites that may contact you.
5. Warn your friends and family about the circulating McCormick spice set scam so they don’t fall victim too. Share this article to spread awareness!
Frequently Asked Questions About the McCormick Spice Set Facebook Scam
Q1: Is the $14.95 McCormick spice set offer on Facebook legitimate?
No, the heavily discounted McCormick spice set promotions currently circulating on Facebook are not legitimate offers. These ads are being run by scammers impersonating the McCormick brand in order to trick victims into signing up for costly recurring subscription fees. McCormick has confirmed they are not affiliated with these promotions in any way.
Q2: What happens if you pay for the McCormick spice set Facebook offer?
When you attempt to claim the McCormick spice set deal on Facebook and pay the small upfront “shipping fee”, you unknowingly get enrolled in an expensive monthly subscription program. Instead of receiving any spices, you’ll get charged $89.95 just 5 days after the initial payment, and then ongoing $89.95 charges every 30 days for additional unwanted items. The scammers make no effort to clearly disclose these recurring subscription terms before you enter payment info.
Q3: How can you spot the McCormick spice set Facebook scam?
There are a few telltale signs of this McCormick spice set subscription scam. First, the deal being offered is usually too good to be true, like a valuable spice rack for just a few dollars in “shipping” costs or in celebration of an anniversary. Second, clicking the ad will take you to suspicious-looking websites that are not the official McCormick site. Third, the checkout process will usually ask for your credit card info without clearly mentioning the recurring subscription charges. Be wary of these red flags to avoid falling victim.
Q4: What should you do if you’ve fallen for the McCormick spice set Facebook scam?
If you’ve paid money as part of this McCormick spice set scam, contact your bank or credit card company immediately to report the fraudulent charges and request a chargeback. Look over your recent statements for any other unauthorized charges from the scammers, and consider canceling your card altogether. You can also report the scam to agencies like the FTC, BBB, or your state consumer protection office to help crack down on the fraudsters.
Q5: Will McCormick honor the $14.95 spice set promotion price?
No, McCormick will not honor the $14.95 spice set price or send you spices if you paid as part of the scam offer. They have explicitly stated that these Facebook promotions are fraudulent and not affiliated with the company in any way. Any “confirmation” emails you receive after signing up are from the scammers, not the real McCormick.
Q6: How do the scammers behind the McCormick spice set scam operate?
The fraudsters orchestrate this scheme by first creating highly convincing ads and websites designed to closely resemble official McCormick promotions. They lure in victims with unbelievable “deals”, often with a false sense of urgency around a special event or holiday. After victims pay, the scammers quickly make the initial promotion site disappear to cover their tracks. Then, they proceed to charge victims monthly subscription fees while making it very difficult to cancel or contact anyone to complain.
Q7: Are there other similar scams to watch out for besides McCormick spice set?
Yes, this McCormick spice set hustle is just one example of a growing trend of subscription traps using bait-and-switch tactics. Similar scams have impersonated other major brands like Yeti coolers, Costco, and more. In general, be very cautious of any social media ads offering luxury goods for suspiciously cheap prices, or that request your credit card info for “shipping fees” or “loyalty program” sign-ups upfront without clearly explaining the ongoing subscription costs. Checking the URL to make sure you’re on the official brand domain can help you spot imitators.
The Bottom Line
The McCormick spice set currently being advertised on Facebook for $14.95 is a scam designed to trick you into expensive recurring subscription charges. The fraudsters use realistic ads and spoofed websites to deceive victims into paying a small shipping fee, which secretly enrolls them in ongoing monthly charges of $89.95 or more.
McCormick has confirmed they are not running any such promotions. To protect yourself, be highly skeptical of such “free” offers that request your credit card for shipping fees upfront, and always check that you are on a brand’s legitimate website before entering payment info. If you’ve fallen victim, contact your bank to report fraud and request chargebacks.
