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In February 2022, Facebook users shared what appeared to be a phishing scam falsely promising a free meal for two at the seafood chain restaurant Red Lobster.
The post contains text that claims to be sourced from Kim Lopdrup, supposedly the “new CEO of Red Lobster,” offering a “voucher to get meal for two at any Red Lobster for lunch or dinner.” The catch of course is that in order to get said voucher, Facebook users must click on a link, share the post, and comment.
Several indicators point to the Facebook post being a scam. For starters, Kim Lopdrup isn’t the “new CEO” of Red Lobster. He became the company’s CEO in 2014 and in 2021 announced his plans to retire.
Furthermore, the post isn’t being shared by official Red Lobster social media accounts — it’s being shared by an unofficial Facebook account called Red Lobster Fans that appears to have been created solely for the purpose of sharing the above post. The account appears to generate an automatic response anytime someone posts a comment, urging them to complete the process of clicking, sharing, and commenting.
A typical Facebook scam involves the perpetrators offering a deal that seems too good to be true, then urging viewers to click a link, comment, and share the scam post. They are often phishing scams that seek to illicitly collect personal information from victims.
A spokesperson for Red Lobster confirmed in an email to Snopes that the offer is fake, and the company has been working with Facebook to get the posts removed.
Sources:
“BBB Tip: Phishing Scams Can Come in Text Messages, Prize Offers,” Better Business Bureau, 19 May 2021, https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16758-bbb-tip-phishing-scams.
Liles, Jordan. “Ellen DeGeneres Facebook Scam Promises $750 in Cash App,” Snopes.com, 17 Jan. 2022, https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ellen-degeneres-cash-app/.
“Red Lobster CEO Kim Lopdrup Announces Retirement Plans.” Nation’s Restaurant News, 25 June 2021, https://www.nrn.com/casual-dining/red-lobster-ceo-kim-lopdrup-announces-retirement-plans.
