Costco shoppers urged to be wary after 'free' option that risks credit card details

Costco shoppers should be wary of emails that pretend to be from the supermarket but in fact are not

Costco shoppers have been urged to be wary of an email that appears to be from the store but in fact is not. Customers’ credit card details could be put at risk if they click on an email offering a “free” deal.

Michael Brown is one of those customers who got an email saying his membership had ran out but also offered an exciting deal, according to NBC affiliate KYTV-TV. The email read: “As part of our loyalty program, you can now extend for 90 days.” Below this statement was a red button that said “Extend for Free.”

The email used a photo of Costco’s logo from its website, meaning Michael had to really study whether it was legitimate, adding “it looked so real”. Brown had an auto-renew membership but clicked on the link anyway, which is when he realized there was a problem. He went on: “When I clicked on it, they wanted all sorts of information.

“My bank card number, my address, my phone number. That’s when I said no.” The email was a scam – a phishing attempt to retrieve Brown’s personal information. Brown called Costco to report the email where he was informed his membership had not ran out.

Costco assured Brown they already had the details he was asked for in the email including his credit card information. Brown said staff were “as friendly as they could be and assured me I was on the right track”.

The email address that reached out to Brown did not say Costco so customers have been advised to be vigilant and verify emails before they click on links. Consumers are also being encouraged to confirm their membership details in their customer accounts on stores’ websites and apps.

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