Facebook Workers Advertising Scams
I have had a couple of leads recently about Facebook ads and they are not immediately obvious as scams but they are.
First from
marketingteam@toast-intl.com
| Name |
|---|
| Claire Robinson |
| marketingteam@toast-intl.com |
| Subject |
| Facebook ads |
| Your Message |
|---|
| We come to you with the purpose of cooperating in marketing TOAST products. For more information, please contact Head of Marketing: Claire Robinson. Email: marketingteam@toast-intl.com or Skype: +447361585145 |
Some red flags
- Generic subject line: “Facebook ads” is a very broad and generic subject that doesn't provide specifics about the sender's intentions.
- Unsolicited offer: The sender is reaching out with an unsolicited offer to cooperate in marketing, which is a common tactic used by scammers.
- Inconsistent email domain: The sender's email address (marketingteam@toast-intl.com) doesn't match the domain of the company they claim to represent (TOAST). Legitimate companies usually use email addresses with their own domain.
- Pressure to contact directly: The sender is urging you to contact them directly via email or Skype, which could be an attempt to bypass any security measures or filters in place.
- Lack of specifics: The message doesn't provide any specific details about the proposed cooperation or how it would benefit your company.
- Unexpected contact: If you haven't had any prior contact with TOAST or this person, receiving an unexpected marketing cooperation proposal is suspicious.
This second one is more subtle and had me for a little bit.
Invitation to become our advertising agent – hr.marketing@stuartweitzmanhr.com
Hello,
Our company specializes in retailing fashion footwear and is expanding operations in the market Ireland. We are currently seeking professional advertising agents or freelance advertisers to lead Facebook and Instagram advertising campaigns for our fashion footwear products.
The advertising budget for this project is allocated from $80,000 to $100,000 per month. In case of successful execution and good results, we commit to establishing a long-term cooperative relationship and increasing the advertising budget.
With meticulous attention to detail and the artisanal history of Spain, we create beautiful shoes that bring style and comfort. We put ourselves in the shoes of the women wearing our shoes, carefully listening to provide them with exactly what they want when they need it.
We are particularly interested in expanding operations in the market Ireland and are in need of experienced Facebook and Instagram advertising experts in this field. Our goal is to attract new customers through fan pages and websites with optimized costs.
We are flexible and set trends while maintaining our iconic image. Through it all, our shoes are designed to inspire you to shine with confidence in every step. We continually strive to break molds in everything we do and are always ready to innovate and take our fashion designs one step further.
For more information about our products, please visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/StuartWeitzman and our Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/StuartWeitzman/ and our website at https://www.stuartweitzman.com/
We are committed to providing a salary commensurate with your experience and skills. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact us via WhatsApp +1(323)834-2641 or Email (hr.marketing@stuartweitzmanhr.com) to discuss job details and salary. We would like to arrange a meeting or call to discuss the job details.
Thank you very much, and we look forward to your positive feedback.
Best regards,
Stuart Weitzman Recruitment Team
Red Flags:
- Mismatched Email Address: The email address “hr.marketing@stuartweitzmanhr.com” is suspicious. A legitimate company of this size would normally use “@stuartweitzman.com” as their email domain.
- Odd WhatsApp Contact: It's unusual practice for a large company's recruitment team to use WhatsApp as a primary communication method, especially for initial contact.
- Focus on Budget, Not Qualifications: The email emphasizes the high budget more than your potential skills or experience. This can be a lure for less-discerning individuals.
- Grammatical Errors: While fewer errors exist, there are still awkwardly worded phrases and inconsistencies that suggest this may not have been written by a native English speaker.
If you get any emails like this, best off just ignoring them. They may ask you to pay an upfront “fee” for training or resources, then disappear. They might also use your responses to gather personal information for phishing. No good can come from replying.
Ben has a BEng (Hons) in Computer Science and 20 years of experience in online marketing, specialising in SEO, lead generation and affiliate marketing. After spending over a decade as an igaming affiliate, he has decided to concentrate on GA4 training and SEO Audits.
Hey Ben – we have just received this one from Toast as well and had the same concerns.
Checked the domain the email comes from (toast-intl.com) and it was registered a month ago on name cheap and no other mentions of that domain around the web.
The weird wording of the email was the biggest giveaway – I downloaded the attachment and scanned it and it was loaded with viruses so… one to avoid! 🙂
Thanks for writing.
Marcus
Same things happened with me just before 2 week.
I replied to them and recieved this mail from them:
______________
HELLO Man,
My name is Candice. I have reviewed your information and found that you have advertising skills and offer advertising services. Our company specializes in retailing fashion shoes, currently expanding operations in this market, and is looking for advertising agents or freelance advertisers to lead Facebook and Instagram advertising campaigns for our footwear products. Regarding scheduling a job exchange session. We are very flexible and can arrange Zoom calls on any weekday from Monday to Friday, or you can discuss via messages here.
We need to run ads for these products for an upcoming project, showcasing our product video: xxxx://drive.google.com/file/d/1AbtkNyBxdR2xkBCZRUEBFIElhKHct-EW/view?usp=sharing
What are your fees for this service? Typically 5% – 10% of the total advertising budget. The advertising budget for this project is allocated from $80,000 to $100,000 per month. In case of successful execution and good results, we commit to establishing a long-term cooperative relationship and increasing the advertising budget.
Have you ever run ads for products like this before? We are looking to run ads and manage advertising campaigns to attract new customers to purchase products on Facebook, Instagram, and our website. For more information about our products, please visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/StuartWeitzman and our Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/StuartWeitzman/ and our website at https://www.stuartweitzman.com/.
We need to run ads to expand the market and are currently looking for experienced Facebook and Instagram advertising experts in this field and region. Our goal is to attract new customers with the most optimal cost and best results.
Over the years, we have accumulated a significant amount of data, including CPM, conversion rates, cost per conversion, ROI, daily budget scope, customer preferences, age demographics, and advertising strategic objectives. We have also compiled the best-performing product images and videos. We need you to review this information and let me know your thoughts before starting the job.
Advertising documents, budget figures, campaign budget, and specific information about the work process, salary details of Stuart Weitzman:
xxxx://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/hi20o9snrikhuqpju1ah1/Documents-Objectives-Workflow-Budget-Salaries-23.03b.zip?rlkey=5r055fg81hy5qvpagjrejdf60&dl=1
Password: SW
We have compiled all Facebook advertising information here. Please review our Advertising Document, Salary Details, and Work Process File to fully understand the target audience, campaign budget, and work process we hope to achieve.
After you have reviewed the details, I am eager to arrange a meeting or call to discuss the next steps, or you can express your thoughts via message here.
Thank you very much, and we look forward to your positive feedback. If you have any questions requiring quick feedback or immediate assistance, please message us here.
__________
Then I replied again to them is:
Thank you for getting back to me, and I appreciate your update !
I’m excited to dive into the details of the marketing budget for this campaign.
I’ve reviewed the document thoroughly and get back to you with any questions or suggestions.
The file you shared is not opening well, Could you please share it in Excel format?
In the meantime, I’ll collect the necessary information based on the details.
If there’s anything extra needed from my end, I’ll ensure to have it ready.
Looking forward to our collaboration!
__________
Now they are forcing me to open their file.
Which file are you talking about?
What problems do you have when opening it?
Try opening it on your Windows computer. I am using a Windows computer. I still open normally.
You can follow the video and it will open:xxxx://drive.google.com/file/d/1uly4-xn7f5snEk1qD-YdZu21ph0dZMHH/view?usp=sharing
What problems do you have when opening it? Can you take a picture and send it to me to see?
__________
Then I asked to exact come back to point and they replied and forcing me to open that file:
We have mentioned all the information needed for advertising in the file budget-target-workflow-salary. Please check it out and get back to me with any questions or suggestions.
____________
Then I told him to schedule a meeting intead of file read and they again replied me as following:
We have time on Friday and Saturday.
Have you reviewed all the documents?
When you’re done reading, I’ll schedule a call so we can discuss next work.
____________
Now they wanted screenshot proof of file open:
Can you take a screenshot of the brochure file and workflow so I can confirm with the company that we have discussed it thoroughly with you and you have also reviewed the workflow? Then I will schedule a Zoom call with you.
___________
A
Don’t know why they are drawing my attention to that file. File was .scr file. and reply was….
Let me know your thoughts and suggestions as you read the target workflow and budget sheet, then I’ll arrange a meeting and schedule a zoom call with you.
__________
Their reply there were sending in a moment. You will not trust when you see this. How such company gives answer so fast inmail.
Sounds like they are trying to install a virus on your computer.
got another one
Name
Jennifer Miller
Email
advertisintg.director@tevamans.com
Subject
Recruiting partners to manage TEVA Digital Marketing campaigns in Ireland market
Your Message
Hi,
I represent Teva, the leading brand in the footwear industry. Currently, we are looking for partners to help manage digital marketing campaigns to expand our market in Ireland.
You can find more detailed information about our brand on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Teva/ – Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teva/ – Website: http://www.teva.com/
We are attracted by your company’s potential to provide professional and efficient services. So we look forward to working with you to create an innovative and effective digital marketing campaign, while ensuring that Teva continues to be a top choice for consumers.
We are committed to providing campaign management fees commensurate with your experience and skills. If you are interested in this opportunity, please reply to us via email or WhatsApp message (+1 512 588-3776) to discuss further cooperation.
Best regards,
Jennifer Miller
Marketing director
Teva
Another one I saw on linkedin
Important!
There are several scams aimed at digi marketers floating around at the moment. I just got an “enquiry” from a massive brand. A few things about it felt off:
• Impersonal
• Too good to be true (already sold on my services)
• Couldn’t find of the person’s the name in Linkedin
• Email domain was hr-brand.com
Be warned. They’ll try to send file with malware. It could be extremely dangerous to your business. Proceed with caution.
hashtag#digitalmarketing hashtag#ppc hashtag#scam
And another one
Name
Ryan Bond
Email
ryan@boseinc.com
Subject
Online Advertising Support for BOSE in Ireland
referrer
referrer
visitedPages
visitedPages
Your Message
Hi,
Bose Corporation, a leading audio technology brand from the United States, is planning a strategic expansion of our brand presence in Ireland to strengthen our position in a competitive market.
To achieve this, we aim to launch advertising campaigns focused on brand awareness and targeting key audiences. Our primary platforms will include Google (Search, Display, App, and Video Ads) and social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, with an initial budget of $50,000–$270,000 per month.
After reviewing your services, we’re interested in discussing your approach, budget recommendations, and strategies for helping us manage and optimize our campaigns effectively. We believe that your expertise would be invaluable in achieving our campaign goals.
Please contact me via email at your convenience for more details.
Best regards,
Ryan Bond
marketing director, Bose