18 August 2015
Muscat: Leading fast food chain, McDonald's Oman has refuted the present online campaign being circulated under its name on instant messaging apps calling it 'hoax' and 'nothing but to misguide its loyal clients in Oman'.
"We have heard of such a malicious campaign where one is offered of RO 500 upon answering some questions and it is nothing but a hoax message aimed at misguiding our loyal clients", a representative of Al Daud Restaurants LLC, (McDonald's Oman) told the Observer, adding that the only promotion going on is its "Big Tasty and Camembert Cheese Bites."
The fake promotional campaign that opens on smart phones with a link to a website takes the reader to a set of questions in lieu of some RO 500 provided it is sent to not less than 10 friends.
Upon opening, the portal says that you have been chosen to be the winner for the day. Further, this website seeks the customer's relation with the fast food chain in terms of frequency of visit, if he or she has ever redeemed discount coupons, distance between their house and the outlet, so on and so forth.
Finally, it announces that the person is the winner and RO 500 will be shipped to the address to be given and before it can process, the customer needs to share the same survey with not less than 10 of his contacts.
In order to substantiate the claims, a number of credentials and comments from different people were also given below who claim to have first ignored and then tried and won the prize.
Muscat residents have been sending the same message to as many people as possible in the last 3 to 4 days but were in lurch waiting for the shipment.
"I tried it for fun and answered all questions and shared with not just ten friends but with more than 25 of them but I have not received any shipment so far", Rafa bin Ashraf from Ruwi said.
The Royal Oman Police (ROP) keeps warning people of not to fall prey to such luring messages on instant messaging apps or Internet as most of them must be freeing the receiver of his money.
"One needs to be cautious to not to fall prey to the spam callers who pose themselves as representatives of companies and inform you that you have won a mega prize or you can win a prize. On the other hand, proper precautionary measures should be taken before you entertain such a message or call that give you the glad news of a fortune awaiting you", Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Mubarak al Araimi, Director of Crime Prevention at the DG of Crime Inquiries and Investigation -- ROP had told the Observer, adding that there have been a number of complaints every day with one third of them parting away with their funds.
"There have been a flurry of complaints of such fraudsters from various regions of the country and one needs to employ his common sense in order not to fall prey to the luring calls of a fortune".
Muscat: Leading fast food chain, McDonald's Oman has refuted the present online campaign being circulated under its name on instant messaging apps calling it 'hoax' and 'nothing but to misguide its loyal clients in Oman'.
"We have heard of such a malicious campaign where one is offered of RO 500 upon answering some questions and it is nothing but a hoax message aimed at misguiding our loyal clients", a representative of Al Daud Restaurants LLC, (McDonald's Oman) told the Observer, adding that the only promotion going on is its "Big Tasty and Camembert Cheese Bites."
The fake promotional campaign that opens on smart phones with a link to a website takes the reader to a set of questions in lieu of some RO 500 provided it is sent to not less than 10 friends.
Upon opening, the portal says that you have been chosen to be the winner for the day. Further, this website seeks the customer's relation with the fast food chain in terms of frequency of visit, if he or she has ever redeemed discount coupons, distance between their house and the outlet, so on and so forth.
Finally, it announces that the person is the winner and RO 500 will be shipped to the address to be given and before it can process, the customer needs to share the same survey with not less than 10 of his contacts.
In order to substantiate the claims, a number of credentials and comments from different people were also given below who claim to have first ignored and then tried and won the prize.
Muscat residents have been sending the same message to as many people as possible in the last 3 to 4 days but were in lurch waiting for the shipment.
"I tried it for fun and answered all questions and shared with not just ten friends but with more than 25 of them but I have not received any shipment so far", Rafa bin Ashraf from Ruwi said.
The Royal Oman Police (ROP) keeps warning people of not to fall prey to such luring messages on instant messaging apps or Internet as most of them must be freeing the receiver of his money.
"One needs to be cautious to not to fall prey to the spam callers who pose themselves as representatives of companies and inform you that you have won a mega prize or you can win a prize. On the other hand, proper precautionary measures should be taken before you entertain such a message or call that give you the glad news of a fortune awaiting you", Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Mubarak al Araimi, Director of Crime Prevention at the DG of Crime Inquiries and Investigation -- ROP had told the Observer, adding that there have been a number of complaints every day with one third of them parting away with their funds.
"There have been a flurry of complaints of such fraudsters from various regions of the country and one needs to employ his common sense in order not to fall prey to the luring calls of a fortune".
© Oman Daily Observer 2015
