At least, that is the claim made in an email currently circulating widely. However, a spokesperson for the Ingolstadt-based electronics retailer has warned against clicking on the link provided.
“Congratulations! You have been chosen for an exclusive chance to own a Bosch handheld vacuum cleaner,” stated the email, which appears to have been sent en masse and was received by the online editorial team of the Bayern Media Group, among others. To claim the reward, users were asked to take a minute to “answer a few short questions about your experience.” Clicking a button in the email supposedly initiated the survey.
“This email was not sent by us,” a Media Markt press secretary stated in response to an inquiry from the Bayern Media Group. According to her, the message is a so-called phishing attempt. Consequently, the company representative advised users “not to click anything and not to disclose your data.”
The term “phishing” is a play on the words “password” and “fishing,” essentially meaning “fishing for passwords.” Fraudsters have become increasingly sophisticated in their efforts to obtain personal information such as passwords, credit card details, or other sensitive data. This was evidently the goal of the fake Media Markt survey. Those who chose to participate risked an unpleasant surprise instead of a free Bosch vacuum cleaner.
A Free Vacuum Cleaner — Possible in Theory
A brand-new handheld vacuum cleaner for just a few minutes of your time? On the Media Markt website, Bosch devices range from €82.99 (for a small model, such as for cleaning car seats) to €319.99 (for a large upright vacuum). In reality, such devices are occasionally provided to users for free.
However, in such cases, the equipment is typically provided for testing purposes and must be returned after a certain period. Alternatively, users may be required to write numerous reviews in online stores. Furthermore, these promotions are usually initiated directly by manufacturers or marketing firms rather than retail chains.
Several other suspicious aspects of the email pointed toward a scam:
- Sender Address: While the sender appeared as “Media Markt” in email programs, a closer look at the address after the “@” symbol revealed a dubious domain: mopa2-e9da5.firebaseapp.
- Grammar: The very first sentence contained a grammatical error.
- Logo: The Media Markt logo looked like a poor imitation and only vaguely resembled the original.
- Artificial Urgency: The phrase “Attention! The survey ends today” was used to create a sense of haste—a typical tactic in fraud cases, according to police reports.
- Link Preview: Hovering the mouse over the survey button revealed an extremely suspicious domain.
The Media Markt spokesperson stated that information regarding the fake email scheme would be forwarded to the corporate legal department.
Source: Bayern Media Group
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