Dunnes Stores shoppers are being warned about a scam doing the rounds on WhatsApp offering prizes in its ‘80th anniversary competition’.
The fake message reads ‘Dunnes Stores 80th anniversary celebration’ and encourages the recipient to click a link to win prizes and gifts.
People are being tricked into clicking it, as the message cunningly pretends to be from Dunnes Stores by using the shop’s real logo and website address.
Anyone who clicks the link is then brought to a website which is cleverly made to look like the official Dunnes Stores one, and told: “Congratulations! Dunnes Stores 80th anniversary celebration! Through this questionnaire you will have a chance to get gift card worth 1,000 euros.”
After completing the questionnaire, the person is then told they have won, but only if they complete two more steps.
They must “tell five groups or 20 friends about our promotions” and then enter their "address and complete registration".
The person is then told their “gifts” will be delivered within five to seven days.
Dunnes Stores has confirmed the fraud has nothing to do with them and people are being encouraged to delete the message.
A spokesperson said: “I can confirm that Dunnes Stores are not affiliated with the request and message.
“We are working with our online team in order to have this removed asap.”
Bizarrely, this year does not mark Dunnes Stores 80th anniversary. Its first store opened on Patrick Street in Cork on March 31, 1944 - meaning 2022 will be its 78th in trading.
Dunnes Stores currently has 142 stores throughout Ireland, the UK and Spain, employing almost 15,000 people.
