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Coronation Street scam: how fans are being targeted
Coronation Street fans are being warned about a new casting call scam doing the rounds.
Bosses for the hit ITV soap have warned fans not to fall for the fake adverts that have appeared on social media offering paid work to appear as an extra in the show.
The advert claims there are 200 spaces to fill with no acting skills required and, as well as being paid, free accommodation and free travel will be provided.
However, it's all just a con aimed at stealing your personal information.
What to watch out for
Here’s an example of the posts being shared on Facebook.
This post has 658 likes, been shared over 1,400 times and there are over 2,000 comments from fans as well as hopeful amateur and even professional actors keen for a role.
One user gushed: “This would be a dream come true xx”
Another budding actor commented: “ I have done acting in college, I've also done work as an extra a few times before so I have experience and this is another great chance to do it again and in my favourite soap!
"I'm very friendly and reliable and think this is such a wonderful opportunity! Acting is my passion and my whole life.”
It’s fake!
At first glance the ad looks like an easy opportunity, which if not for you, one of your friends or family would love to get in on.
But take a look closer and there are telltale signs the ad isn’t genuine, like a host of grammatical errors and the urgency for people to share the post.
Coronation Street producers have confirmed that the ads are bogus and not connected to the show in any way.
A spokeswoman said: ‘We only book our extras – or walks-on – from reputable casting agents so they are the people to contact for any extras work. These ads are fake and people should not be taken in by them.’
What’s the harm?
Those that click the link are taken to a page where they have to fill in personal details like name, address and date of birth.
While these details seem like harmless bits of information to hand over, they are invaluable to scammers and fraudsters.
The details are enough to be misused for identity theft and in some cases could be combined with other information you might have revealed publicly (see: Facebook '10 concerts' quiz: is it a scam?) to try and guess passwords and gain access to your bank accounts.
What to do if you fall victim
If you think you’ve fallen for this scam or another like it, you should unlike the post and delete it from your feed.
Also keep an eye on your credit report for signs of anything suspicious. Sign up for a free 30-day trial now.
How to keep safe
Scammers are increasingly targeting social media users to harvest personal information, that could be used to guess your passwords and steal your identity.
Watch out for poor spelling and grammar, offers that sound too good to be true and forms which ask for too a bit too much information.
You should also think twice about the things you are liking and sharing. Even if you don’t click on the link your friends and family might as they trust you.
Stay one step ahead of the Facebook scammers with this handy guide.
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