Walmart receipt scams: fake survey and reward texts, and how to tell
Quick answer
Walmart really does text receipts, but a text that offers a reward, gift card or prize for a receipt or survey is a scam signal. Don't click or pay. The FTC says unexpected survey and free-item texts are impersonators. Report them at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Serus is a privacy company with paid tools to find and remove your personal data. This page is free and based on official sources.
- Pretends to be
- Walmart
- Last updated
How it works
The FTC has warned of texts that look like they come from well-known names such as Costco and The Home Depot, offering a freebie for answering a survey. You click, answer some questions and pay for shipping, and you end up with unauthorized charges on your card instead of a reward.
Walmart's own fraud page lists the same pattern: fraudulent texts about a free gift card, and the line that you can't win a contest you didn't enter. It also describes mystery shopper offers that come with a fake check. You deposit it, send some of the money back or buy gift cards, and the check later bounces.
No official alert names a 'Walmart receipt' scam, so the details below follow the patterns Walmart and the FTC document, not one confirmed script.
Sources checked: corporate.walmart.com, consumer.ftc.gov
Last verified against the official page:
Red flags
- A text about a prize, survey reward or 'receipt code' you never signed up for
- A link that asks for card details to cover shipping or a small fee
- A real-looking receipt or order number you don't recognize
- A 'mystery shopper' job with a check that's larger than agreed
- A request to buy gift cards and send the numbers
- Walmart branding that looks off, such as 'Wal-Mart'
Example message
Thanks for shopping at Walmart! Complete a short survey about your recent receipt to claim a free reward: [link]. Pay a small shipping fee to receive it.
What to do
- 1
Don't click, reply or pay
Delete the text. Real Walmart texts don't need you to pay to receive a reward. Check your purchases in your Walmart account by going to walmart.com yourself.
- 2
If you entered card details
Call the number on the back of your card, report the fraud and ask for a replacement.
- 3
If you deposited a check
Tell your bank right away that it came from a stranger. A fake check will not clear, and the money you spend comes out of your own account.
- 4
If you bought gift cards
Contact the card company at once with the card numbers and receipt, then report it.
- 5
Report it
Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Walmart's fraud page explains how to report suspicious messages to it.
Report it
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Why you got it
Scammers pick targets from lists of names, phone numbers and email addresses that come from data breaches and people-search sites. Walmart is one of the biggest retailers in the US, so a message using its name reaches a lot of people who really do shop there. Serus finds the data brokers and people-search sites that list your phone number and email and removes you from them, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers have your contact details to begin with. See our guide to data brokers and what to do after a data breach.
More Walmart scams
Frequently asked
Does Walmart text receipts?
Walmart has a text receipt option you sign up for, but no official page says it sends rewards or prizes for receipts. Treat an unexpected reward text as suspect.
Is Walmart the scammer?
No. Walmart is the company being impersonated, and its fraud page warns customers about these messages.
Why would a scammer ask for a small shipping fee?
The fee is how they get your card number. The FTC says people who pay it get unauthorized charges and no gift.
What if the survey text used my real name?
Names and numbers are easy to buy from data brokers and breaches. A correct name doesn't make a message real.
Sources
- Fraud Alerts · corporate.walmart.com
- Don’t click on that random text. It’s a scam · consumer.ftc.gov
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