Facebook Sharpie-giveaway is fake, users warned

A Sharpie-giveaway offer has been sighted all over the popular social media site Facebook. However, it was revealed that the giveaway was a phishing link. Many users have shared and sent the link to their friends.

The post claimed that a free set of colored markers were being given away by Sharpie to celebrate its 13th anniversary.

"Hurry up! Only 872 sets available! Claim one now!" The post reads. Users who clicked the link were brought to a website with the URL www.sharpie.com-eat.com. The site is a bogus third-party link, not the official website of Sharpie.

The site requires users to answer a set of questions such as “How long have you been using Sharpie markers?” and whether they have given it as gift to friends. After that, it will ask users for their email address and to message the link to at least 15 friends. In truth, there are no markers given at the end of the survey. There are also similar counterfeit links that lure people into opening spam mail or spreading viruses and worms.

"Sharpie fans - many of you have commented about a Sharpie sweepstakes. Please note that this is not an official Sharpie giveaway, and we are not sponsoring or supporting it," Sharpie stated in a post on their official Facebook account. The company acted quickly in order to clear out the issue.

Snopes reported that the Sharpie giveaway scam began in 2013. WTVM.com advised parents to warn their children about the colored marker scam and bogus links on Facebook and other social media sites. Facebook users have also spread warnings of the suspicious link.

Many groups have been reminding users to be wary of promos and offers that they find online. Aside from the Sharpie scam, there are supposed free airline tickets and gadget giveaway "offers" as well.