Currys scam warning: fake Currys Smeg kettle giveaway

Currys smeg kettle giveaway scam emails encouraging you to join a ‘loyalty program’ are circulating again.

Fraudsters have targeted Currys, impersonating its branding with slick images and offering the chance to ‘answer and win’ a ‘brand new’ Smeg kettle.

But these emails have nothing to do with Currys, or Smeg.

Currys scam Smeg kettle giveaway emails

The true purpose of these emails is to send potential victims to dangerous third-party sites that could attempt to extract sensitive personal data, such as your name, address, contact details and even banking information.

Some may be taken in by the slick branding and chance to win a product in return for filling out a survey, but these are tactics widely seen in phishing emails. 

If you’ve received an email promising something for nothing out of the blue, then it’s always worth taking the time to look back over the email. Check the email it’s been sent from, and investigate any URL it’s attempting to send you to before you click on it (you can do this by hovering over a link - your browser will show you the URL in the lower left corner).

You should also assess the layout of the text and the punctuation/grammar. If something doesn’t feel right, do not interact with the email.

If you’re unsure an email is genuine, reach out to Currys via its official channels (away from the suspect email).

I’ve been taken in by a fake ‘loyalty program’ email: what should I do?

If you think you may have entered sensitive information, such as your bank/card details, into a third-party site you were taken to by a suspicious ‘Currys’ email, you must let your bank know what’s happened via its official channels ASAP.

Your bank should work with you to cancel your card, block any pending payments (if required) and refund the money you’ve lost.

How to report a scam and get your money back

You should also then keep an eye out for any follow-up scams that could occur if you’ve given contact details, such as your email address, postal address or phone number, away to fraudsters. Treat any contact you receive out of the blue with caution.

How can I report Currys scam emails?

Fake emails and phishing websites can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk - action can then be taken to remove these websites.

If you’re going to warn friends and family about a scam, send them a screenshot instead of forwarding suspicious emails directly.

Currys confirmed that it is not sending these emails. It recommends that customers apply extreme vigilance and get in touch with its customer services teams to check any email authenticity with a member of the Currys team directly.