A Facebook post claims Argos is offering Samsung microwaves for £1.78, alleging the electronics manufacturer had broken a contract “with the famous retailer”.
The post, published by a Facebook group which uses the Argos logo as its profile picture, includes a photo of three shelves filled with microwaves with a £1.78 price label. It asks readers to answer a few questions “for your chance to win” with a link beneath the photo to another website. However, this appears to be a scam.
An Argos spokeswoman confirmed to Full Fact that neither the offer, the Facebook page nor the information about a Samsung contract were genuine.
Argos states that all legitimate competitions will be listed on its website.
It adds: “Be wary of any social media posts relating to competitions or voucher giveaways. Check official sites or contact the company directly using the contact details from the website.
“Report anything you don’t think is authentic. Anyone can be targeted (not just Argos customers) and fraudsters often request personal information or ask you to confirm information.”
There are some clues that the post is a scam. The Facebook account uses an Argos logo but is called “Electronics and appliances UK”, and is an unverified page with just one post. The link included in the post directs you to a bogus copy of furniture retailer Wayfair’s website.
We have previously checked bogus claims and offers from Tescos, Wetherspoons and Morrisons, among a number of businesses.
Image courtesy of Samsung Newsroom, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0