Watch out for fake B&Q product giveaway emails

These messages offer expensive tools for ‘free’ in exchange for your time

Fraudsters are impersonating B&Q in dodgy emails which promise free products in exchange for filling out a survey.

Offering free or very cheap items in exchange for your time is a common tactic used by scammers. We recently reported on fraudsters promising £500 supermarket vouchers if recipients commented on and shared Facebook posts.

Read on to find out how to spot and report this scam.


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B&Q scam email

These scam emails offer recipients the chance to ‘participate in a loyalty program’ with B&Q. They claim that in exchange for ‘less than a minute of your time’, you can get a free Dewalt Power Station or 170-piece Stanley tool set.

The emails mimic B&Q branding to appear genuine, but are sent from seemingly random email addresses. The emails themselves also contain spelling errors - another giveaway that they’re sent by fraudsters.

Dodgy B&Q emails

A large collection of images displayed on this page are available at https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/watch-out-for-fake-bq-product-giveaway-emails-a3UtS4t5UU4m?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=Supporters&utm_content=Scam+alert+110523+-+B

Dodgy survey website

If you click on these emails, you’ll be taken to a recently-created website where you’re asked to complete a short survey. The survey asks 14 questions about your shopping habits. The page includes a countdown clock - a common tactic used by scammers to pile pressure on potential victims. 

The website also features fake 'reviews' from previous ‘winners’. These reviews are mocked up to appear as if they’ve been left on Facebook. 

Once you’ve completed the survey, you’ll be asked to fill out a form and pay £2 for postage. It’s at this point the scammers will steal your personal information and bank details. 

Step-by-step: how the scam works

A large collection of images displayed on this page are available at https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/watch-out-for-fake-bq-product-giveaway-emails-a3UtS4t5UU4m?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=Supporters&utm_content=Scam+alert+110523+-+B

B&Q told Which?:'We’re aware of a fraudulent email circulating using B&Q branding in connection with a fake giveaway and have reported it to Action Fraud.

'We’ve advised customers who have contacted us about the email to refer it to Action Fraud and delete the message, not to click on any links and not to share it with their contacts.'

Reporting scam emails and websites

Unsolicited emails like these should always be treated with caution. Brands will always run competitions and giveaways through their official channels - so check their websites and social media accounts to verify the information.

You can forward scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk to report them or select ‘Report Spam’ on Gmail, ‘Report phishing’ on Hotmail or forward emails to abuse@yahoo.com from a Yahoo account. Suspicious websites can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre.

If you’ve entered your personal or bank details on a dodgy website, tell your bank straight away using the phone number on its website or the back of your card. You should also report the scam to Action Fraud.