Apple AirPods are probably the most popular earphones nowadays — but they don’t come cheap. So when consumers are presented with the opportunity to win a pair for free, it can be tempting to try — even if it seems a little too good to be true.

That temptation is what the Amazon AirPods raffle scam is based on, one that has been making the rounds for a while and has recently resurfaced in frequency. In this scam, consumers receive an SMS text message promising a fake prize — normally a brand new pair of AirPods.

Text: Amazon: Congratulations [Name], you came 3^rd in this week’s Amazon Airpods raffle! Click the link to set delivery: [URL]

All the would-be victim has to do is follow the link in the text. Doing so takes you to a fairly convincing (but very much FAKE) Amazon webpage. The final step will be to complete a survey, after which you will supposedly be eligible for your reward. The ultimate aim of the fake survey is to acquire valuable personal information — which will inevitably be requested.

Text: Congratulations! Today [Date], you have been chosen to participate in our survey. It will only take you a minute and you will receive a fantastic prize: a [Prize]. Each Tuesday we randomly choose 10 users to give them a chance to win amazing prizes. Today’s prize is a [Prize]! There will be 10 lucky winners. This promotion is only valid for United States! This survey aims to improve the quality of service for our users and your participation will rewarded 100%. You only have 3 minutes and 36 seconds, to answer this survey! Hurry up, the number of prizes available is limited! [Questions]

This is a classic scam type, and the advice is of course to NOT click — ignore and delete.

Amazon also offers guidance in this area. A customer who receives communication impersonating the company should refer it to Amazon customer service, who will investigate and take action if necessary. You can also send suspicious information to stop-spoofing@amazon.com. Amazon also has a dedicated page to help identify if the communication is really from Amazon.

Do also check out our Trend Micro Check tool, which is designed to combat scams with ease! 100% FREE, Trend Micro Check is an all-in-one browser extension for detecting scams, phishing attacks, malware, and dangerous links. After you’ve pinned Trend Micro Check, it will block dangerous sites automatically. It is now available on Safari, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge.

Stay safe out there, folks! And as ever, if you’ve found this article an interesting and/or helpful read, please do SHARE with friends and family to help keep the online community secure and protected.