This year, the magic of beauty Advent calendars is tarnished by a fearsomely well-crafted scam that is circulating massively online.
Christmas is approaching, it’s the favorite season for brands to unveil their most beautiful Advent calendars! But be careful all the same, the scammers are watching… Indeed, who has never dreamed of getting their hands on the latest Sephora Advent calendar at a very low price? It is this beauty fantasy that 2.0 scammers are surfing on. At a time when surprise boxes are drooling, a scam is booming, targeting makeup and skincare fans.
For several days, a wave of false messages, sent by e-mail or WhatsApp, has been circulating at high speed. Their promise is almost too good to be true: a free Sephora Advent calendar, with only 2 euros shipping costs remaining. A “gift” which, apparently, ticks all the boxes of a good deal… except that it’s all false.
As soon as you click on the link and enter your information to pay these symbolic 2 euros, the trap closes. In reality, you are giving your full banking details (card number, expiration date, security code) to cybercriminals. The messages are very faithfully inspired by the official visuals: logo, color palettes, product photos, etc. At first glance, it is difficult to imagine that we are dealing with charlatans. The link leads to a site that looks exactly like Sephora, with a perfectly staged payment page.
If you clicked, don’t panic: here’s what to do. First, know that there is no reason to feel guilty: these scams are designed to deceive. The main thing is to act quickly by contacting your bank to block your card and monitoring your accounts for any suspicious transactions. Report the scam on internet-signalement.gouv.fr. Then, warn your loved ones to prevent them from falling into the trap in turn. It is important to keep in mind that no major brand offers free gifts via mass-shared links. For any Sephora or other beauty brand offer, always favor the official website, application or certified social networks.
Faced with increasingly sophisticated scams, vigilance is required, especially when offers seem too good to be true. During the festive period, like the rest of the year, it is always better to check the source before clicking to ensure that only the real Advent calendar fills your drawers!
