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You are here: Home / News / The £500 Tesco gift card email scam: how to spot it and stay safe

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The £500 Tesco gift card email scam: how to spot it and stay safe

by Naomi Willis · updated 21 April 2024

Watch out and don’t get tricked by this Tesco £500 gift card giveaway scam that is being sent to you via email.

tesco 500 scam email

Have you ever got an email and thought: “YES! I really need that win right now!”

When you get an email with an amazing title, like win a £500 Tesco gift card, it’s tempting to jump in there and try to win it.

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Having that extra cash would be super handy for paying for a massive food shop, stocking up, or even getting some petrol or clothes, and saving your cash for something else.

But it’s not what it seems.

A dodgy email pretending to be from Tesco offers a £500 gift card when you click on a link.

However, the email is not from the supermarket.

And there is no gift card when you enter your details.

What happens?

Which? has reported that a dodgy email arrives in your mailbox impersonating Tesco and claims to offer a £500 gift card.

You have to click through the email, but it takes you to a real-looking survey site.

This site asks you a few questions that seem harmless enough but then tries to take your personal and financial information.

tesco 500 scam gift card email
Image via Which?

How to avoid the scam

Hopefully, the email will get caught up in your junk folder, so you won’t see it at all.

But, if you do come across it or any other emails you’re not sure about, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself.

Check the email address

Real Tesco emails end with “@tesco.com.”

But even if it’s someone else promoting a giveaway, check their social media accounts to see if they also discuss it there.

Looks for mistakes

Scam emails often have spelling errors, weird capitalisation or just look a bit off.

Too good to be true

If it seems like an amazing offer, it sadly probably isn’t true.

Use a pinch of salt in your judgment, and always check with someone else if you’re not sure.

Never share your details

Real companies won’t ask for your bank or card payment details over email – especially if you’re entering a giveaway.

Stop and think before you get lured in.

Tell others

Just because you’ve determined that it’s a scam doesn’t mean others won’t fall for it.

Millions of pounds are lost each year due to scams, and they’re more rife than you might think.

Share what you see with your friends and family, and you could even give a head-up to others in the Skint Dad Community Group over on Facebook.

While you’re telling others, you can also report a suspicious phishing scam by forwarding it to report@phishing.gov.uk.

If you’ve been a victim of fraud and suffered a loss, contact your bank immediately, and you can start reporting the crime with Action Fraud.


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  • About
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Naomi Willis
Naomi Willis
Content editor at Skint Dad
Naomi knows the burden of living on very little and became debt free by following her own money saving tips and tricks. She is an expert on saving money at the supermarket and side hustles.
Naomi Willis
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