IN SHORT: A message claiming that Shoprite is advertising Black Friday sales through an unverified link is a scam. The link leads to a dodgy looking website. Shoprite has urged customers to visit its verified channels for promotions.
Subscribers to our WhatsApp lines have sent us a link that appears to be from Shoprite, advertising Black Friday sales.
Shoprite is Africa’s largest consumer goods retailer. Black Friday usually falls on the last Friday of November, but retailers often offer specials for the entire month.
The same claim has been posted on Facebook groups with thousands of followers.
Africa Check has previously debunked many online scams, a number about Shoprite.
And once again, we smell a scam.
A blacklisted threat
As always, we started our investigation by clicking on the link doing the rounds online. We were immediately warned by our antivirus software AVG, which categorised the website as a “blacklisted” threat.
But we chose to proceed anyway (we strongly advise against it!) and were met with an unverified, simple-looking and colourful website.
This is a red flag, as Shoprite giveaways would appear on their verified platforms, not on third-party websites.
The website also asks users to provide personal information, such as phone number and email address. This could be an example of phishing, an attempt by scammers to trick users into giving out their information for fraudulent purposes.
‘Message not affiliated with Shoprite’
While the link has several red flags of a scam, it has also been debunked by Shoprite on its official Facebook page.
“The Black Friday Sale message doing the rounds on WhatsApp is not affiliated with Shoprite. We will only communicate with our customers on our verified channels. Please be careful when sharing your personal details,” the retailer wrote.
Tips on debunking scams
When coming from trusted sources like friends or family, messages or links can be difficult to decipher on WhatsApp. So here are some things to look out for:
- Look for the evidence: Does the link take you to the company’s verified website? Does the offer sound legit? Be wary of links that don’t pass these questions.
- When it asks for your information: Be careful of claims that ask for personal information like ID numbers or email addresses, as these can lead to fraud.
- Don’t just share: Importantly, don’t share the message if you’re not sure whether it is true, as scams thrive on reach. Either report the message to WhatsApp or ignore it.
For publishers: what to do if your post is rated false
A fact-checker has rated your Facebook or Instagram post as “false”, “altered”, “partly false” or “missing context”. This could have serious consequences. What do you do?
Click on our guide for the steps you should follow.
Publishers guideAfrica Check teams up with Facebook
Africa Check is a partner in Meta's third-party fact-checking programme to help stop the spread of false information on social media.
The content we rate as “false” will be downgraded on Facebook and Instagram. This means fewer people will see it.
You can also help identify false information on Facebook. This guide explains how.
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