A post on a Facebook page called “Decathlon Fans” promises to offer “dozens of unsold bikes due to minor scratches.” “Since it’s still in good condition, we decided to give it to everyone who shared it and wrote ‘completed’” [sic], read the post on Facebook. But with a “detail”: the deadline to join the initiative ends on “August 12”.
Despite warnings from several Facebook users that it is a scheme to retain customers by subscribing to online games, the two-day post already has more than 61,000 comments and more than 100,000 shares.
fake post on facebook
With each comment made on the publication, an almost automatic message is placed, always the same: “Share our publications in your active groups or profiles. Confirm your winnings instantly by clicking the ‘Sign Up’ button above for free. Just enter your email address and we’ll get back to you shortly. limited enrollment good luck.”
After clicking on the link to register, Facebook users receive a message indicating the subscription costs: “This service costs €2.10/SMS, €4.20/week, VAT included at the legal rate, it renews automatically . By entering the pin/password on this page, you are confirming that you wish to subscribe to this service which will allow you to access games and applications.
The company itself has already been alerted to the situation and has published a denial on the official Facebook page clarifying that it is “fraudulent pages that do not represent Decathlon” and that it is “false information about the offer of defective bicycles” .
“To safeguard everyone’s security, do not share any personal data with these platforms,” the company asks, adding that it will be “taking the necessary steps to ensure that these pages are removed.”
However, the original post was deleted. But alternative pages are being created, introducing slight changes in the name and presentation of the supposed campaign, which serve the same purpose.
conclusion
It is false that Decathlon offers bicycles with minor defects. It is a fake page that uses the image of the brand to try to win the loyalty of Facebook users on online gaming platforms with an associated subscription. The brand itself has already published a statement on social networks to deny it, but the number of shares and comments continues to increase.
Thus, according to the Observer classification, this content is:
WRONG
In the Facebook classification system this content is:
FAKE: The main content claims are factually inaccurate. This option typically matches “false” or “mostly false” ratings on fact-checking websites.
NOTE: This content was curated by The Observer as part of a fact-checking partnership with Facebook.
Source: Observadora
