The Better Business Bureau, or BBB, is warning Missouri consumers about postcards promising hundreds of dollars in free gas and grocery vouchers that may instead be attempts to obtain payment information.
According to a BBB news release, consumers have reported receiving postcards claiming they qualify for free gas or grocery vouchers, rebates or shopping rewards. Recipients are typically directed to call a phone number or visit a website and pay a processing fee to claim the offer.
BBB said consumers who responded to similar offers have reported unauthorized charges, enrollment in monthly subscription programs and promised gift cards that never arrived. Some instead received low-value coupons or promotional materials and later had difficulty reaching the company for refunds.
In late June, an O'Fallon woman reported receiving a postcard from a company calling itself "AAPP" that claimed $309.64 in gas and grocery vouchers was being held in her name and would be forfeited if she did not act immediately, according to the release. The woman did not contact the company and did not lose money.
The name AAPP closely resembles AARP, the well-known nonprofit organization for older Americans, and could cause confusion for recipients.
"Scammers know families are looking for ways to save money right now," BBB St. Louis CEO Michelle L. Corey said.
Corey warned consumers to be suspicious of unsolicited offers for free products or benefits, particularly when the sender pressures them to act immediately or provide payment information.
BBB advises consumers who receive the postcards not to provide banking or credit card information simply to claim a supposedly "free reward."
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