FairPrice Gift Card Scam: The Great 45‑Anniversary Hoax
It all started on a sunny January 9th, when Raymond, a regular guy who liked keeping in touch with old buddies, swiped a curious link on his phone. The message promised a “$400 NTUC FairPrice gift card” for simply completing a survey and forwarding the link to 15 friends.
How the Trick Grew
- Raymond sees the offer at 10 am and pretends it’s a scam.
- By noon, friends, classmates, and even his manager ping him with the same link.
- He decides to verify the claim by heading straight to downtown FairPrice.
At the branch, the manager called headquarters, which confirmed the survey wasn’t even from FairPrice. “Never trust a link that pops up on a friend’s wristband of gossip,” Raymond warned.
Why People Fall for It
When you trust someone—like an old schoolmate or work buddy—you’re likely to follow their directions without checking. Anyone can send a message in juicy green fonts that look like a legit welcome. The psychological trick is simple: “Because my friend sent it, it must be real.”
Casey’s Caution
Meanwhile, Casey also kept a stream of unsolicited messages from people he hadn’t spoken to in ages. “I’ve been getting these from strangers that popped up on WhatsApp and look like a Western-style spam page,” he says. That’s when he started calling it the “Whispering Ninja” because it quietly followed him around.
NTUC FairPrice’s Official Statement
NTUC FairPrice stepped in with a Facebook post—no links in this version, just a clear PSA:
- “New online survey scam is spreading on unofficial sites, pretending to be FairPrice.”
- “No official endorsement or creation of this offer.”
- “Dismiss the link and stop sharing it.”
FairPrice also stressed that customers should stay skeptical and warn friends and family about such scams. The better part? The snack aisle remains safe, and the only real gift card you need to worry about is the one from your bank account.
Bottom line: It’s a classic “Incredible deal on a cookie” story—always read the fine print before you click. And let’s keep ourselves—and our friends—on guard from any snake‑teller offering a golden grocery voucher.
