Nando’s is a popular restaurant chain known for its peri-peri style chicken. But scammers are taking advantage of Nando’s reputation to run a fake gift card rewards scam.
This article will uncover everything about the Nando’s reviewer scam – how it works, red flags to watch for, and most importantly, how to avoid getting duped yourself.
Overview of the Nando’s Reviewer Scam
Nando’s is a hugely popular restaurant chain known for its spicy peri-peri chicken and Portuguese-style cuisine. With over 1,000 locations worldwide, it has amassed a loyal following. However, scammers are now taking advantage of Nando’s devoted customer base and reputation to run an elaborate fake Nando’s reviewer rewards scam.
This con works by scammers running online ads or social media posts pretending to be from “The Ambassadors Club” or other fictitious “reviewers programs”. These ads claim that Nando’s is looking for people to review and give feedback on menu items in exchange for a £100 Nando’s gift card as compensation.
The ads entice people by suggesting they can get a hefty £100 Nando’s card just for providing simple menu feedback. People who click on these fraudulent ads are taken to phishing websites designed to mimic a legitimate customer review program site. These phishing sites have Nando’s logos and images, but the URL will clearly not be the official Nando’s domain.
Once at the phishing site, people are invited to “join” the fake reviewer program by entering their personal details like name, email, phone number, home address and date of birth. This information is not actually used for any Nando’s rewards program, but is instead harvested by scammers to sell on the dark web or use for identity theft purposes.
After submitting their personal data, victims are redirected from the phony Nando’s review website to a sketchy third-party website. This site informs users they have to complete 10 to 30 “deals” or offers in order to receive the promised £100 Nando’s gift card they were scammed with.
These mandatory “deals” include things like signing up for subscriptions, downloading mobile apps, completing online surveys, making purchases, and entering personal details into various websites. Each completed “deal” earns money for the scammers through affiliate commissions, harvested data, and sales.
Despite victims completing all the long and arduous tasks demanded of them, Nando’s never provides the £100 gift card promised. The only purpose was to mislead and manipulate people into completing revenue-generating tasks under the false pretense of a reward program.
This scam is essentially a bait-and-switch tactic with the aim of stealing personal information and making money through deceptive means. The scam takes advantage of people’s affinity for Nando’s food and their desire to earn a sizable gift card.
How the Nando’s Reviewer Scam Works
Here is an in-depth look at how the Nando’s reviewer scam unfolds:
1. Fake Social Media Ads
Everything begins with an ad on Facebook, Instagram or other platforms that pretends to be from Nando’s or a reviewers club. Using Nando’s branding and food images, it advertises becoming a menu item tester in exchange for a £100 Nando’s gift card.
Catchy headlines may say things like:
“Earn a £100 Nando’s Card for Giving Menu Feedback!”
“Want free Nando’s? Join our reviewer program today for a £100 gift card!”
The goal is enticing people with what seems like an authentic rewards offer directly from Nando’s.
2. Phishing Reviewer Sign-Up Site
Clicking the ad brings people to a phishing site dressed up to look somewhat official. It has logos, images, and text about joining their reviewer program to get the Nando’s perk.
However, the URL will clearly not be an official Nando’s domain. And there may be typos, formatting issues, or other red flags.
The site invites people to “Apply Now” by entering their personal details to get started as a reviewer.
3. Harvesting Personal Information
If someone proceeds with the application, they are prompted to provide sensitive information like:
- Full name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Home address
- Date of birth
This valuable personal data can be used or sold for identity theft and other scams.
4. Completing Deals and Offers
After submitting information, users are redirected to a sketchy third-party website unrelated to Nando’s. This site reveals users must complete 10-30 “deals” to receive the £100 Nando’s gift card.
The deals include:
- Online surveys
- Free trial sign-ups
- App downloads
- Making purchases
- Entering personal details into other sites
This allows scammers to maximize their profit through commissions, sales, and harvesting even more personal data.
5. No Gift Card Despite Completing Deals
Some users spend hours finishing all the tedious deals demanded. But in the end, Nando’s never sends the promised £100 gift card. The only purpose was conning people into completing profit-earning deals under false pretenses.
Warning Signs of the Nando’s Reviewer Scam
There are several red flags that can help identify this scam:
- Ads from unofficial pages – Nando’s only advertises through official branded channels. Other offers are fakes.
- Overly-generous rewards – £100 is too much for simply reviewing menu items. This “dangles the carrot” to attract victims.
- Requests for personal information – So much sensitive data wouldn’t be needed for a simple review program.
- Having to complete deals/offers – Real feedback programs don’t make reviewers do endless tasks.
- Unofficial branding and language – Scam sites lack Nando’s official fonts, logos, and writing tone.
- Spelling and grammar errors – Sloppy text is a sign scammers quickly created the content.
- Pushy call-to-action – Phrases demanding immediate action are manipulative tactics.
Any of these red flags signal an offer is very likely part of the Nando’s reviewer scam.
What to Do If You Already Fell for the Scam
If you already provided your personal information or completed suspicious deals, take these steps right away:
1. Contact your bank about any charges
If you paid for any products or services, call your bank immediately and report the charges as fraudulent. They may be able to reverse them.
2. Change account passwords
Reset all passwords for any accounts the scammers now have your email/phone/address info for. Enable two-factor authentication as well.
3. Put a fraud alert on your credit
Contact the credit bureaus to place an initial 90-day fraud alert on your credit file. This adds a level of scrutiny to any new activity.
4. Monitor financial statements closely
Watch all your bank and credit card statements for any unauthorized charges. Dispute anything suspicious right away.
5. Do not communicate with “recovery” scammers
Beware of potential follow-up scammers claiming they can recover lost money from the first scam. Ignore all unsolicited contacts.
6. Report the scam
File a report with ActionFraud and notify your bank and Nando’s corporate office. Reporting helps authorities stop the scams faster.
7. Learn to spot scams
Going forward, let this serve as a lesson to be more vigilant. Verify offers through official channels before providing personal data or completing tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Nando’s £100 Gift Card Reviewer Scam
1. What exactly is the Nando’s reviewer scam?
The Nando’s scam is a fraudulent offer being promoted online and via text. Scammers pretend to be a reviews program offering a £100 Nando’s gift card for giving menu feedback. But it’s a scheme to harvest personal data and have people complete bogus “deals” that earn commissions for scammers without providing real rewards.
2. How does the Nando’s gift card scam work?
Scammers run social media ads redirecting to phony review program sites. There people enter personal info to “join.” They’re redirected to a third-party site and told they must complete 10-30 “deals” to get the £100 card. The deals involve surveys, trials, purchases, info submissions, etc. After completing them, the promised gift card never comes.
3. What are some red flags of the Nando’s scam?
Red flags include ads from unofficial pages, overgenerous rewards, requests for excessive personal data, having to complete numerous deals, lack of official Nando’s branding, sloppy text, and pushy “act now” messaging. Any of these should raise suspicions about an offer’s authenticity.
4. I entered my info and did some deals. What steps should I take?
If already involved, contact your bank about charges, reset account passwords, put a fraud alert on your credit, watch for unauthorized activity, avoid “recovery” scammer contacts, report the scam, and learn to better identify red flags moving forward.
5. Can I get my money back if I lost any in this scam?
If you made purchases, report them as fraudulent to your bank immediately. They may be able to reverse the charges. Unfortunately there’s likely no way to recoup losses like personal data given away, time spent, etc. Use it as a costly lesson in avoiding scams.
6. How can I avoid the Nando’s gift card scam?
Going forward, remember if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Verify promotions directly through official Nando’s channels before providing any personal information or clicking suspicious links. Check URLs closely for accuracy.
7. Where should I report the Nando’s scam?
Report it to ActionFraud and your local police. Notifying Nando’s corporate office also helps them address the fraud. Reporting helps authorities identify and stop scammers faster.
8. Who is responsible for the Nando’s scam?
Perpetrators are often cybercriminals operating anonymously, using fake identities. They quickly set up scam ads, sites, and domains to rip people off before shifting operations.
9. Am I at personal risk if I was involved in this scam?
Yes, providing personal data exposes you to potential identity theft and account misuse. Monitor your credit and all accounts closely for any suspicious activity and further scams.
10. What’s the best way to avoid online scams?
Be skeptical of unsolicited offers, verify directly with brands before participating, research unfamiliar sites, avoid clicking questionable links, guard your personal information carefully, and report any scams immediately.
The Bottom Line
The Nando’s reviewer scam plays on people’s desire to get free food and gift cards from a popular restaurant chain. But the promised rewards never materialize.
When an offer asks for too much personal information, involves sketchy sites, or demands completing “deals”, treat it as a red flag. Verify directly with brands before providing data or doing tasks.
Guard your personal and financial details closely, watch for any misuse, and report scams immediately. Being wary of unsolicited offers is the best way to avoid falling victim to predatory scammers seeking to exploit Nando’s fans. Don’t let the lure of fake rewards put your identity and finances at risk.
