Fraud on WhatsApp: this contest to win a Leroy Merlin barbecue is bogus

The message shared on WhatsApp messaging is enticing. On the occasion of Father’s Day, the DIY brand Leroy Merlin is putting 5,000 gas barbecues into play. A product that’s all the more attractive as the high temperatures of the past few days have really made you want to spend time outside in the shade! But this contest is a scam.

Bank details siphoned off

To enter, the contest asks you to share the post with several of your friends. A classic tactic which consists in multiplying the potential victims. Then, you have to fill out a form on a site based in Russia (the address ends in .ru) which asks for a contribution to the delivery costs, of the order of a few euros.

This is where scammers can retrieve the bank details of Internet users lured by the promise of a nice gift. In terms of delivery costs, these are automatically included in a subscription billed at 44 euros per month. Bank account data also allows thieves to make larger purchases online.

I receive for the 4th time since this morning a link to a Father’s Day contest from @leroymerlinfr to win one of the 5000 barbecues at stake. A link that leads to a site hosted in russia (.ru) that leads to an error page… In my opinion, don’t click… it’s suspicious pic.twitter.com/e6JAhJFha7

— NicolasCatard (@NicolasCatard) June 8, 2022

Just landing on a Russian site should already raise alarm bells, as should the absence of the company logo. You should also know that in the context of a competition, in particular from an established brand like Leroy Merlin, no delivery costs are requested.

It is therefore absolutely necessary to avoid sharing this type of message on WhatsApp, otherwise the risk of spreading the scam and doing even more harm.