IMAGE: Namibia Fact Check / WhatsApp
A post promoting a fake KFC giveaway is circulating in Namibian WhatsApp groups, among a slew of scam posts
The post invites people to click on a link for a supposed lucky draw and prize giveaways by the popular fast food retailer Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).
The post claims that KFC is celebrating its 70th anniversary and will be giving away R10,000 in prize money to individuals picked from among those who complete an online survey.The post was forwarded to Namibia Fact Check in July 2024 for verification and it reads as follows (image below):
“KFC 70th Anniversary Lucky Draw And Prize Giveaways 2024. Take a survey for a chance to win Prizes”
This post is a familiar phishing scam that entices individuals to participate in a survey. The survey asks for personal information, such as gender and age, as well as opinions about KFC. Once the three questions are answered, the responses are immediately processed and saved.
After completing the survey, a pop-up appears (image below) on the webpage stating that the participant has three chances to win valuable prizes. The participant is then presented with a display of boxes to choose from. The first time a box is selected, a message appears: “Better luck next time. You have (2) extra chances”. On the second attempt, the participant is informed that they have won R10,000.
However, as expected, there is a catch to this prize giveaway. Individuals are required to share a message in five WhatsApp groups or with 15 friends on WhatsApp about the “Boxer Carnival” (image below), instead of KFC’s supposed 70th anniversary, in order to qualify for the prize.
The “Boxer Carnival” post began circulating in Namibian WhatsApp groups from early May into June 2024. This was yet another phishing scam targeting Namibians. The scam “Boxer Carnival” promotion does not appear to have resonated with Namibians and did not circulated for long, as Boxer is a South African discount supermarket that does not operate in Namibia.
Different versions of this phishing scam have been debunked over the last two years. The first version of a similar post was debunked on 22 September 2022 by Factly, which found that “This purported KFC promotional message offering free coupons as part of its anniversary celebrations is fake.” On 16 December 2022, PesaCheck determined that “This website running a promotion to celebrate KFC’s 70th anniversary is a scam.”
The Facts
There is no such promotion being advertised by KFC Namibia on social media.
Namibians are cautioned to avoid clicking on suspicious links and should always verify promotions by checking companies’ official websites and social media feeds.