B&Q, Heineken and Screwfix have all been used to target people with Father's Day-related scams Wiltshire Trading Standards has warned. 

Members of the public have been messaged by both known and unknown contacts encouraging people to participate in competition-style scams using branding from these big companies. 

The scams tell people that if they enter, they could win a Weber BBQ from B&Q, one of 5,000 coolers full of beer from Heineken and a DeWalt drill from Screwfix, but none of these competitions are real. 

Instead, they are designed to trick potential victims into visiting spam and fake survey websites that trick them into buying unwanted products or services.

They also trick people into disclosing their personal information, which will then be used fraudulently.

A spokesperson for B&Q said: "We’re aware of a fake message circulating via WhatsApp using B&Q branding in a Father’s Day competition.

"If you receive a suspicious WhatsApp message, which could be from a known or unknown contact, about a B&Q Father’s Day Contest 2022 offering the chance to win a Weber BBQ, we strongly recommend that you delete the message, do not click on any links and do not share with your contacts.

"We would never ask any of our customers to provide their full home address in order to enter a competition. If you believe you have been the victim of this scam, please consider reporting it to Action Fraud."

Anyone who has received the suspicious messages has been advised to "delete them immediately," Heineken's spokesperson added. 

"We're aware of the current phishing scam circulating through social networks, which is not sanctioned by Heineken. We have alerted the relevant authorities."

Wiltshire Trading Standards alerted members of the public to the Screwfix scam with a Facebook post. 

The organisation said: "Similar to the recent B&Q and Heineken scam messages being sent via Whatsapp, another is doing the rounds claiming participants will get a free DeWalt drill.

"If you have received the Screwfix Competition scam, just delete it and let the sender knows it is a scam."

WhatsApp has also addressed the multiple scams that are being sent via its system. 

A WhatsApp spokesperson said: "We encourage users to report the message to us for review for spam or abuse."

We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.

Please report any comments that break our rules.

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here

© 2001-2022. This site is part of Newsquest's audited local newspaper network. A Gannett Company. Newsquest Media Group Ltd, Loudwater Mill, Station Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. HP10 9TY. Registered in England & Wales | 01676637 |

Data returned from the Piano 'meterActive/meterExpired' callback event.

As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles.

Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services.

These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local community.

It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times.