Facebook Scam Advertises “Free” Southwest Tickets

Viral campaign seeks users’ personal information, instead of grant free airfare.

Southwest Airlines is once again asking customers to stay away from “free ticket” giveaways spread on Facebook and other social media channels, warning that each post is a scam in disguise. Scripps Media reports another outbreak of social scams are targeting users looking for a free ride aboard the low-cost carrier this summer.

The “giveaways,” as detailed by Snopes.com, promise flyers a free ticket aboard Southwest Airlines to celebrate an operational milestone. In the most recent version, the scam promises two free tickets in celebration of the airline’s 88th anniversary. However, the scams simply go to a fake website, where users either sign in via Facebook or otherwise input their personal information. Instead of receiving fake tickets, individuals’ compromise their personal information or social media accounts instead – leading to everything from inbox spam, to potentially identity theft.

“Please do not click any of these links, or give away any of your personal information,” Southwest cautioned about a similar scam back in 2013. “If a user has clicked any of these links or supplied personal information to the sites, Southwest recommends users change their account passwords, and check Facebook privacy settings to see if any undesired apps exist.”

Before clicking on any giveaway in Facebook, experts suggest looking at several key pieces of information. First, look at the website address at the bottom of the image, usually in gray and capitals. If it goes to somewhere other than the official airline website – such as Southy.us – it is a scam. Additional cues include spelling (“SouthWest” instead of Southwest) and no value or expiration date on the “free” tickets.

[Photo: Shutterstock]