As the adage goes, nothing comes for free! Anytime you receive a random email notifying you that you have a gift card or reward just waiting to be claimed, alarm bells should go off. Hackers are working around the clock to trick innocent people into clicking on email links that redirect them to fake websites. Once you arrive at the fake website, the hackers will instruct you to share personal information like your name, address and credit card details so that they can ship your gift card or reward. Do not fall for it! It’s a scam designed to rip you off and steal your data.

Report these phishing emails immediately to your email provider by using the Report Phishing feature in your email program. Delete the emails after reporting them to your email provider. Never click on the “Unsubscribe” links in the emails. The links can be malicious and trigger downloading malware. Do not call any phone numbers listed in the emails.

Here are some example Gift Card / Reward scam emails that are currently in circulation. There are thousands of phishing campaigns like this out in the wild, so stay safe and remain vigilant.

Tractor Supply Claim Free Gift Scam