As Easter approaches, families across the UK look forward to celebrating with sweet treats and seasonal gifts. Unfortunately, scammers are also preparing, and one of their favourite tactics is the Cadbury giveaway scam.
This year, fraudsters are targeting people with fake offers of a Cadbury Easter giveaway, hoping to steal personal information or banking details.
How does the Cadbury giveaway scam work?
Scammers send messages via social media, WhatsApp, or email, claiming Cadbury is offering free Easter hampers. These messages often contain:
- A link to a fake website designed to look like an official Cadbury page.
- Requests to fill out surveys and submit personal information such as your name, address, phone number, or bank details.
- A prompt asking you to share the link for more chances to win — a clear sign of a scam.
In reality, Cadbury’s genuine Easter promotion is part of the Cadbury Worldwide Hide and can only be entered via official in-feed adverts on Facebook and Instagram. To enter, you must complete an online form with your full name and email address between 00:01 GMT on 17 March 2025 and 23:59 BST on 31 March 2025. Each person is allowed just one entry, and no one can win more than one prize.
Full details about the official Cadbury Easter Giveaway can be found on the Cadbury Easter giveaway terms and conditions page, and you can find more about the promotion itself on the Cadbury Worldwide Hide website.
Scam red flags to look out for:
- Poor grammar or spelling mistakes in the message.
- Requests for payment or bank details.
- Urgent, pushy language like “Act now before it’s too late!”
- Messages asking you to share for extra entries — the genuine giveaway does not allow this.
Why do scammers do this?
Scammers use fake competitions to harvest your personal data, which can then be sold or used for identity theft. In some cases, they may even attempt to access your bank account.
What to do if you spot a Cadbury giveaway scam:
- Do not click on the link.
- Do not share the message.
- Report suspicious activity via Action Fraud’s official website.
- If you’ve provided personal or financial details, contact your bank immediately.
How to stay safe from giveaway scams
- Only enter competitions via official Facebook and Instagram adverts.
- Remember, there is only one entry per person in the real promotion.
- Be suspicious of messages asking you to share or refer others.
- Look for secure URLs that start with ‘https’.
- Follow verified Cadbury channels and refer to the Cadbury Worldwide Hide promotion for legitimate competitions.
In summary
The Cadbury Easter giveaway scam is designed to trick excited holiday shoppers into handing over personal details or money. If a message seems too good to be true, it probably is.
For further reading, take a look at our article on how to avoid falling victim to a Cadbury hamper scam during Christmas. We also wrote about a similar Easter scam a few years ago.
At CEL Solicitors, we are committed to supporting scam victims. If you think you’ve been targeted by a scam, our friendly and expert team is here to help. If you have lost money to a scam like this, contact CEL Solicitors for free, no-obligation advice. Call 0330 822 3752 or enquire online.
Stay safe and have a happy Easter!
