A Facebook post shows a grocery chain’s logo, a dollar amount and three short instructions: share, comment, like. Posts promising free groceries have circulated on Facebook for years. The fact-checking site Snopes and Consumer Reports have each documented versions of the scam, and the versions share the same red flags.
The common signs are a required share, comment and like, a logo and colors copied from a real store, a survey that asks for card or bank details, requests for personal information with no privacy policy, and a reward too large to be believable. The examples below range from 2014 to May 2026, which shows a recurring pattern rather than a single new warning.
The Share, Comment and Like Routine
Snopes describes Facebook posts offering Kroger giveaways, including one headlined “Get $55 in Free Groceries.” The post asked readers to complete three steps: share it, leave a comment and like it. Those steps do one job, which is spreading the post to more people. An earlier version on the same page promised a $250 gift card and linked to a site that used Kroger’s logo but was not affiliated with the grocer.
Kroger Support told a news outlet on Oct. 15, 2014, that the offer was a scam and that the company was not tied to the website, according to Snopes. Snopes adds that Kroger has posted similar warnings on Facebook more than once. The same page quotes a July 2014 Better Business Bureau article noting that it is easy to copy the colors, logos and header of an established organization.
The craftingyourhome guide to Kroger clearance deals shows what real savings at that chain look like: they come from clearance sections and the store app, not from a post asking for likes. Legitimate giveaways exist too, and frenzhub’s list of companies that send people money when asked nicely shows how those tend to work.
The Survey Page Is Where the Details Get Collected
Consumer Reports covered a near-identical version on May 11, 2017. Scammers on Facebook and other platforms offered free Mother’s Day coupons worth $50 or more from major retailers, including Bed Bath & Beyond and Lowe’s. The coupons linked to a fake site that asked visitors to complete a survey and forward the coupon to friends. Consumer Reports quoted the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office saying the coupons may never arrive and are worthless anyway.
According to Snopes, as cited by Consumer Reports, the survey may try to capture an email address, phone number, date of birth and credit card information. That is the real product in the scheme: the personal details, not the groceries. Consumer Reports adds that legitimate coupons generally do not require credit card or banking details. Shoppers who want to cut the bill have safer routes, such as the ones in frenzhub’s wallet-friendly life hacks.
Aldi Was Copied in 2020 and Again in 2026
The pattern did not stop at Kroger. FOX 35 Orlando reported on Dec. 7, 2020, that a fake Facebook page called “Aldi Store” promised a Christmas Food Box worth $75 in groceries plus a $25 Aldi voucher to anyone who shared and commented by a set deadline. Aldi confirmed the offer was a scam and said the page had no affiliation with the company. The report also noted that the post claimed an Aldi anniversary that did not match the chain’s U.S. history.
A newer variation surfaced in May 2026. Security firm Malwarebytes reported on May 19, 2026, that a Facebook post claimed Aldi was clearing out meat boxes for under $10 and told readers to follow a link left in the comments. According to Malwarebytes, the link led to a fake Aldi survey with pressure lines like “only 1 spot left,” then to a page asking for a name, address and payment details for a delivery fee. The site showed more than 1,000 fake five-star ratings, Malwarebytes said. Payment apps are another place scammers ask for money, and the craftingyourhome rundown of things never to do on Zelle, Venmo or Cash App covers that side.
The frenzhub piece on products Americans overpay for explains why an offer of free groceries gets attention in the first place.
Five Red Flags That Keep Repeating
Put the sources side by side and the same checklist appears. First, a required share, comment and like, which Snopes flags in the Kroger posts. Second, a survey that wants card or bank information, which the Better Business Bureau article quoted by Snopes says legitimate businesses do not ask for. Third, copied logos and colors. Fourth, a reward that is too good, since few businesses can afford to hand out $50 gift cards for a few survey answers. Fifth, urgency, like the deadline in the Aldi Christmas post and the “only 1 spot left” line Malwarebytes found.
Malwarebytes also notes that a link placed in the comments can slip past platform scanning and that a personal anecdote can make a post feel trustworthy. Its advice is to check the domain in the address bar and to read the comments for genuine reactions. Fox 35 reported that Aldi pointed shoppers to the blue check mark on its official page.
Where Free Groceries Actually Come From
Consumer Reports gives two simple steps: search for the offer online, since a scam often has an alert posted about it, and go directly to the retailer’s website to see whether the offer exists. Never enter financial information on a survey page reached from a social post.
If a fake post does land in a feed, the FTC has steps for reporting. In an April 23, 2025, consumer alert about package-delivery text scams, the agency advises filtering messages from unknown senders and forwarding junk texts to 7726, then reporting scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. On Facebook, Malwarebytes recommends reporting the post through the menu’s scam or fraud category. For anyone who already typed in card details, Malwarebytes says to contact the bank or card issuer promptly and watch statements.
A free-groceries post that asks for likes, shares and a card number has already shown its hand. The grocer’s own website, app or official page is where a real offer will be listed.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Shixart1985 – CC BY 2.0/Wikimedia Commons
