Better Business Bureau warns drivers about fake gas gift card scam

CHARLOTTE — The Better Business Bureau is warning drivers about fake gas gift card scams that are being used to get credit card details.

The BBB said scammers are tempting drivers with phony gas station gift cards as a way to get personal information.

The scam may come in the form of social media posts, emails, or surveys that say you have won a $500 gas station gift card. To get the card, you have to pay a small fee, but when scammers get the debit or credit card information, they charge various amounts that were not approved.

The BBB says the most recent scam claims to be from Shell, but they could come from different gas station brands as well.

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One consumer explained her experience to BBB Scam Tracker.

“They said I won a Shell gas card and had to pay $1.95 for shipping. A day later, they took $89.95 out of my account. I called about the charge, and they fixed it, but the next day, another $89.95 was taken out again,” the driver said.

The scam may also ask drivers to fill out a form providing their name, phone number, physical address, credit card information, and other details.

Here are a few tips from the BBB to avoid prize scams:

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Never pay to win. Legitimate companies will not ask you to pay money to receive something you have won or to get a free gift. If you are asked to pay even a small fee, it’s probably a scam.
Do your research. If a large company is offering a free gift, go to the company’s official website to see if they are really participating in such a giveaway.
Don’t act on impulse. The BBB says to use good judgement and be skeptical of any offer that seems too good to be true.

(WATCH BELOW: BBB warns against scammers using fake websites to request COVID tests)