Free Flow phone offer scam – Consumers beware!

Do you have an old phone and are yearning to replace it with a newer model? What about a brand new Samsung S10 or an iPhone X? What if you don’t have enough funds?

Well if you are worrying about the funds needed to make such an expensive purchase, there is no need as these items can be yours with no money at all. Yes all you have to do is answer eight survey questions that take only 30 seconds of your time. There is a time limit of four minutes before you will lose the opportunity.

Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it is too good to be true. Currently this scam is online and it often takes very little effort to be caught in the lure of getting something for nothing.

Scam Tactics

There are many online scams but this one had all the trappings of a legitimate offer and consumers could easily be tricked into giving out their information.  The scam begins when you connect to the Internet. A web page comes up with the Flow logo and the message that you have been selected to take part in a survey of eight questions.

The message continues to state that if you answer the questions and qualify then you join a pool of persons who will be chosen to receive a special award of new iPhone or Samsung 10. There were no red flags as yet as the questions are relatively not intrusive as they ask for age, reference of product and if there are satisfied with their service provider.

If a consumer might have been wary of answering their questions, there is a comment section at the bottom of the page that has several customers who appear to have received the phones that are being highlighted.

There are even persons questioning if it is a scam and persons answering that since it is free it must be legitimate as there is nothing to lose by entering as the next page asks only for your name and email address.

Red flags – Be warned!

After you enter your name and email address, the user is redirected to another website where you are now asked for your name and credit card number.  There is a lot of text on the web page insisting that you will not be charged and the required information is only in case you win and you will need to validate the account.

This is where you realize that you have been tricked. The Flow logo has vanished and no more mention is made of the company or its services.  In fact the new web page has pictures of movies and books.

At the very bottom of the web page there is text that states only those who win will be contacted by email. Ironically no mention is made of why then they need your credit card information since the email account would be enough to validate any account.

Flow Response

Of course I assume that after entering your credit card information and even your email, you are at danger of being hacked and money or information can be stolen. So I decided that Flow needed to know what was happening to their customers who might be caught in the scam so I called Flow’s customer service number.

After explaining the situation, the Flow representative I spoke to acknowledged that there have been numerous calls from customers so the company is aware of the situation.

The representative said that customers need to be alert and not give out personal information online. She also stated that there was another scam where Flow customers were being called and told they need to send credit in order to claim a prize.

Customers must be careful and exercise caution when asked fro money or personal information to companies or individuals. Well hopefully you have not been caught in this or any other online scam. Let me know and drop me a line below!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online writer

Tags: consumers, FLOW, online, Phone, scam