Email scams posing as popular retailers like Walmart are becoming more and more common. One such scam is the “Walmart Answer & Win” email scam. This fraudulent email claims you’ve won a prize through a Walmart loyalty program. However, it’s just a ploy to steal your money and personal information. Here’s what you need to know about how this scam works, how to protect yourself, and what to do if you’ve fallen victim.
This Article Contains:
Overview of the Walmart “Answer & Win” Email Scam
The Walmart “Answer & Win” email scam messages claim you’ve been selected to receive a free prize through a bogus Walmart loyalty program. The email states you can receive prizes like laptops, cookware sets, iPhone’s, tools and more.
To claim your “prize”, you just need to complete a short survey after clicking the “Get Started” button. However, this survey is just a way for scammers to steal your personal and financial information.
Once you complete the survey, you’ll be asked to pay a small $2 “shipping fee”. But in reality, this is just a ploy to get your credit card details. Shortly after entering your card information, you’ll see additional fraudulent charges for unwanted services and subscriptions.
This Walmart email scam is essentially a phishing scam disguised as a prize giveaway. Its sole purpose is to deceive victims into giving up sensitive information that can be used for identity theft and fraudulent charges.
How the Walmart “Answer & Win” Scam Works to Steal Your Money
Here is a step-by-step breakdown of how the “Answer & Win” Walmart email scam operates:
Step 1: You Receive an Email Claiming You’ve Won a Prize
The scam starts with an email designed to look like an official communication from Walmart. The subject line usually says something like “Walmart Loyalty Program: Answer & Win”.
The email claims you’ve been specially selected to receive an expensive prize like a laptop, iPhone, or set of cookware. It states this is because you’re a valued Walmart customer.
Of course, this is just a fake email sent by scammers. But it’s designed to excite recipients about receiving a free prize.
Step 2: The Email Instructs You to Complete a Short Survey
After getting your hopes up about winning a prize, the email instructs you to complete a “short survey” after clicking the “Get Started” button.
This survey is hosted on a fraudulent website impersonating the official Walmart site. The website looks quite convincing, so victims don’t suspect any wrongdoing.
Step 3: The Survey Asks for Your Personal and Financial Information
Once you start the survey, it begins asking seemingly innocent questions about shopping preferences and habits. But then the questions become more intrusive and request sensitive personal and financial information.
The survey may ask for details like your name, date of birth, address, phone number, and credit card information. Victims are more inclined to provide the details thinking it’s required to claim their “prize”.
Step 4: You’re Asked to Pay a Small $2 “Shipping Fee”
After completing the survey and handing over personal information, you’re congratulated and told your prize is ready to ship. But first you need to cover a small $2 shipping and handling fee.
Scammers pretend the charge is for delivering the prize you won. But in reality, this small charge just gives them your credit card number.
Step 5: Your Card is Charged Multiple Times for Unwanted Services
Shortly after paying the $2 “shipping fee”, victims see additional fraudulent charges from the scammers. Often it starts with a bogus $10 “sweepstakes entry fee” just minutes after the small shipping charge.
Then over the following days and weeks, victims have noted unauthorized recurring charges between $40-$70. These charges are for various unwanted services the scammers have signed you up for, like pseudo-technical support subscriptions or ebook/software programs.
Step 6: You Never Receive the Promised Prize
After handing over personal information and money to the scammers, the supposed “prize” never arrives. Victims never receive anything except credit card bills with fraudulent charges.
The Walmart loyalty program and prize giveaway were completely made up. The scammers keep your information and money gained from the sham shipping fees and unauthorized subscriptions.
How to Spot the Fake Walmart Emails
Scammers are masters at creating emails that closely mimic legitimate companies. But there are often small signs that expose these messages as fraudulent phishing attempts.
Here’s what to look for to detect the fake Walmart emails:
- Suspicious Sender Address – The “From” email address doesn’t match Walmart’s official domain. It may be misspelled, use a different domain, or be coming from a free email provider.
- Unusual Subject Line – Subjects like “Walmart Loyalty Program: Answer & Win” or “Walmart Rewards Claim” should raise red flags. Walmart uses your name in legitimate promotional emails.
- Sense of Urgency – Words like “time-sensitive”, “act now”, or “limited time” create urgency to click without closely inspecting the email. Take your time to verify authenticity.
- Spelling and Grammar Issues – Poor spelling and grammar mistakes are common in scam emails from foreign senders.
- Requests Personal Info – No legitimate retailers will ask for sensitive information like credit cards or account passwords by email. This is a sign of phishing.
- Link Hover Check – Hover your mouse over any links without clicking. The link preview should match Walmart’s actual website URL. Typos or completely different domains indicate scams.
- Unsecured Website – Real Walmart websites will start with “https://” and show a lock icon. “http://” with no lock means the site is insecure and fake.
- Unsubscribe Link Missing – Genuine commercial emails always include instructions for opting out. Omission of unsubscribe info is often an indicator of phishing scams.
Carefully inspecting these email factors can help expose the “Answer & Win” scam and prevent you from being tricked into providing your information or money. When unsure if an email is legitimate, go directly to Walmart’s website or contact customer service rather than clicking any links.
What to Do If You Already Fell Victim to This Scam
If you fell prey to the Walmart “Answer & Win” email scam, here are some important steps to take right away:
Step 1: Contact Your Bank and Dispute the Fraudulent Charges
The first thing you should do is contact your bank and dispute any unauthorized credit or debit card charges. This is the quickest way to put a stop on the money being stolen from your accounts.
Provide your bank with details on the fraudulent charges, explain you did not authorize them, and request immediate chargebacks. Your bank will assist with the dispute process and getting your money back.
Step 2: Monitor Your Accounts Closely for Any Other Suspicious Activity
Keep a very close eye on all of your financial accounts for the next few weeks. Check your credit card and bank account transactions daily to spot any additional fraudulent activity.
The scammers may have gained enough of your info to illegally access or open financial accounts. So diligent monitoring is crucial to identifying criminal activity.
Step 3: Change Any Passwords the Scammers May Have Access To
If you provided sensitive login information on the survey, immediately change those passwords. Priority should be given to things like your Walmart account, email accounts, or any financial account usernames/passwords entered.
Updating this login information prevents the scammers from accessing your existing accounts now that they have your previous passwords.
Step 4: Place Fraud Alerts on Your Credit Reports
Since these scammers now have your personal data, consider placing fraud alerts on your credit reports. An initial fraud alert lasts one year and makes it harder for criminals to open new lines of credit.
You can contact one of the three credit bureaus to place an alert, and they are required to notify the other two bureaus on your behalf.
Step 5: Sign Up for Credit Monitoring to Detect New Fraudulent Activity
Lastly, sign up for credit monitoring services with a reputable company. This gives you access to your credit reports and notifies you anytime new accounts or loan applications are made under your name.
Credit monitoring serves as an extra layer of fraud protection and early alert system. So you can stop the scammers faster if they do steal your identity.
Protect Yourself from the Walmart “Answer & Win” Scheme
Here are some tips to avoid becoming a victim of this scam in the first place:
Be Wary of Giveaways Requiring an Upfront Fee
One clue it’s a scam is having to pay any sort of fee before receiving your prize. Legitimate giveaways don’t require money upfront. Walk away if asked to pay shipping, taxes, or entry fees to claim a prize.
Verify Promotions Directly with the Retailer
Don’t rely solely on an email to verify a retailer promotion. Check directly on the company’s official website or contact customer service to confirm legitimacy before providing personal information.
Don’t Click Links or Attachments from Unknown Senders
Never click links or download attachments from emails you weren’t expecting, regardless of how convincing they appear. Go directly to the company’s website by typing the URL into your browser.
Beware of Lookalike Domains
Scammers create fake websites mimicking the look, content, and web address of legitimate retailers. But there are often small typos or misspellings. Verify the URL is 100% accurate before entering any sensitive data.
Avoid Entering Personal Details on Unsecured Sites
Never enter things like credit card numbers, account logins, or your social security number on sites that aren’t securely encrypted. Check that the URL begins with “HTTPS” and has a small lock icon.
Don’t Trust Caller ID
If you get a suspicious call claiming to be Walmart, don’t trust the caller ID alone. Scammers can spoof legitimate business numbers. Hang up and call the official customer service line to verify.
Install Antivirus and Anti-Malware Protections
Cybercriminals can install dangerous malware by getting you to click on links. Protect your devices and data with comprehensive internet security software. This provides threat scanning and web filtering against malicious sites.
Here is a detailed FAQ section about the Walmart “Answer & Win” email scam, optimized for SEO and Google search rankings:
Frequently Asked Questions about the Walmart “Answer & Win” Email Scam
The Walmart “Answer & Win” email scam tricks people into handing over personal information and money under the guise of prize giveaways and loyalty programs. If you’ve received one of these phishing emails, you probably have a lot of questions. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about how this scam works and how to protect yourself.
What is the Walmart “Answer & Win” email scam?
This is a phishing scam where recipients get an email claiming they’ve won a prize through a fake Walmart loyalty program. The email prompts them to take a survey after clicking a link, which steals personal and financial information. Victims are then charged fraudulent fees for things they didn’t authorize.
How does the Walmart prize scam work?
The multi-step scam starts by sending an email announcing you won a prize. It provides a link to a convincing-but-fake Walmart website to take a survey and claim your prize. The survey asks for sensitive details that are later misused. You’re then charged a small $2 shipping fee, but shortly after more unauthorized charges show up.
What does the fake Walmart email look like?
The email subject line usually says “Walmart Loyalty Program: Answer & Win.” The body says you’ve won a prize like a laptop for being a loyal customer. Buttons in the email let you “Claim Your Prize” which leads to an illegitimate site.
What information do the scammers ask for?
The survey asks for personal info like your name, address, phone number, and date of birth. It also requests financial account details like credit card numbers and online account passwords. All this information lets them steal your identity and money.
What are victims charged for?
Initially victims are tricked into paying a $2 “shipping fee” to receive their prize. Then unauthorized recurring charges show up for unwanted services the scammers registered victims for, using their personal information. This includes things like pseudo-technical support subscriptions.
How much money do victims lose?
While the upfront fee is small, around $2, victims report recurring fraudulent charges ranging from $40-$70 from the scammers signing them up for services they didn’t agree to. The criminals can bleed bank accounts over time through these monthly automatic charges.
How can I tell if an email is really from Walmart?
Walmart only sends promotional emails if you specifically subscribed to receive them. Verify an unexpected email’s legitimacy by calling Walmart Customer Service. Also check the sender’s email address matches walmart.com exactly.
Is there really a Walmart loyalty program that offers prizes?
No, Walmart does not contact random customers rewarding prizes through a loyalty program. These “rewards” emails are always fraudulent, sent by scammers impersonating Walmart. Walmart’s official loyalty program is called Walmart+ and offers free shipping benefits, not prizes.
What should I do if I got the fake Walmart email?
Do not click any links, reply to the email, or provide any personal or financial information. Report the phishing scam to Walmart Customer Service. Delete the email immediately and do not engage with fraudulent callers regarding it.
How can I protect myself from the Walmart scam?
Avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails, no matter how convincing. Always hover over links to preview their true destination and look for typos. Also never provide sensitive information on sites that aren’t securely encrypted, which you can verify by looking for “HTTPS://” in the URL.
Who should I contact if I was scammed?
If you provided any financial information or lost money, immediately call your bank and credit card companies. Report the fraudulent charges so they can be disputed and reversed. Also request new cards and account numbers to prevent additional fraudulent charges.
What steps should I take if my identity was stolen?
Place a fraud alert on your credit reports and sign up for credit monitoring services. Also file an identity theft report with the FTC and contact all businesses where your identity may have been used for fraud. Make sure to change ALL passwords for any accounts compromised.
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Using Malwarebytes and AdGuard together provides comprehensive protection for your online security and privacy. These tools identify threats and create a safer digital experience.
The Bottom Line
The Walmart “Answer & Win” email scam demonstrates how hackers use the lure of free prizes to steal personal information and money. These professional scammers create emails and websites that appear quite convincing on the surface. But in reality, it’s a fraudulent operation designed to deceive.
If you receive one of these fake Walmart emails, delete it immediately. Never click links, provide sensitive information, or pay any upfront fees. You can avoid the financial damages from this scam by being cautious of unsolicited messages and verifying promotions directly with retailers. Act quickly if you did fall victim to halt further criminal activity against your accounts.
