Big Mac Caught In Phishing Scam

Even the world’s most well-known fast-food chain not immune from Internet scams

Fast-food outlet MacDonald’s is the latest unwitting victim in the phishing stakes, with the Australian Competition and Comsumer Commision’s (ACCC) Scamwatch website reporting that unscrupulous freeloaders are now targetting the company and trying to get consumers to part with their hard-earned cash.

The ACCC has received several reports about consumers receiving unsolicited emails supposedly from McDonald’s. This bogus email offers McDonald’s customers a $50 bonus for filling out an online ‘customer satisfaction survey’. Below is a copy of the text from the email:

Dear McDonald’s Customer, 
We are planning big changes for 2009 at McDonalds AU chain of restaurants and because your opinion is very important to us, we invite you to take a short Customer Satisfaction Survey that will help us improve the quality of our food and services.

We know your time is valuable, so we will give you a $50 bonus just for taking our quick 7 question survey. The entire process will take no more than 5 minutes.

Once the survey is completed, the scammer will request the consumer to provide their credit card/bank details to receive the $50 payment. Instead, the scammer will use these details to steal money or commit identity fraud.

If you receive this email or any other unsolicited email that appears to come from a company, banking institution or agency, do not follow any of the links in the email as this can result in an unwanted download on your computer.