Beware of Dunkin' Donuts Coupon Scam

If you’ve seen this clickable Dunkin’ Donuts coupon promising you the indulgent treat of your dreams, we’ve got some not-so-sweet news: It’s fake. Although the coupon looks completely legitimate, the free doughnut offer has been shot down by the Dunkin’ Donuts company as a scam.

“Hi, Kim. The Free Box of Donuts offer you are referring to is not affiliated with Dunkin’ Donuts,” the company wrote on Facebook, addressing a woman who had asked about the too-good-to-be-true offer. “Please avoid participating in this offer, as it may be a scam.”

The fraudulent coupon, pictured below, promises customers a free box of doughnuts to celebrate the company’s 67th anniversary. Funny thing is, this year marks Dunkin’ Donuts’ 68th anniversary — so it’s the first major clue that this coupon is not legitimate. The other big clue is what happens when you click the link: The scammers have created a fake survey to steal your information.

Dunkin' Scam

(Photo Credit: DUNKINDONUTS.INFO)

If clicked, the link will take you to a three-question “survey” about the chain. You will then be asked to share your results on Facebook and to provide other personal information and answers to questions, the online coupon site RetailMeNot reports.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time scammers have used Facebook as an outlet. Internet scams became so out of control in 2014 that the Better Business Bureau (BBB) issued guidelines warning consumers to be weary of scams identical to this one.

How to Avoid a Giveaway Scam, According to the BBB

1. Don’t believe everything you see. Colors, logos, and headers mean very little in today’s tech world. Almost anyone with a computer can create a pseudo-coupon.

2. Real businesses don’t ask for credit card information when offering a coupon or giveaway. If the coupon does require personal information, like an email or an address, check to make sure there’s a link to the company’s privacy policy.

3. Google it. You can Google almost anything, so why not Google a deal that sounds suspicious? If it’s a scam, there’s bound to be an alert online.