Redazione RHC : 1 August 2025 08:06
Amid the proliferation of online scams, Romania witnessed a particularly large-scale scam disguised as a McDonald’s promotion. More than 10,000 people were lured into a scam that initially presented itself as a tempting offer: a hamburger, fries, and soft drinks for just 10 lei, the equivalent of about two dollars.
On Instagram and Facebook, scammers launched a series of advertisements on behalf of a nonexistent brand, McDelight Romania. Under the guise of participating in a “triple promotion,” users were asked to complete a short survey and participate in a simple game. Everyone was promised the chance to win a prize, and surprisingly, everyone won.
At this point, potential victims felt like they had hit the jackpot, as confirmed by McDonald’s-style images and seemingly authentic reviews from “customers.”
The next step was to fill out A form with personal information, including a credit card number, supposedly to pay a nominal fee. However, the conditions, written in small print, hid the true essence of the scam: a subscription with automatic debit of €63.42 every two weeks. This amount began to be regularly charged to the victims’ cards, and the advertised two-dollar lunch soon became an unrealizable illusion.
Bitdefender specialists have revealed the details of the plan, noting that the fraudulent campaign began on July 17 and continues to gain traction. According to their data, there are at least six variations of such ads rotating on Meta, and the scheme itself has already spread beyond Romania: similar actions have been recorded in Hungary and the Netherlands.
The fake platform not only exploits trust-inspiring visuals, but also actively plays on feelings of urgency and scarcity, creating the illusion of limited supply. Such tactics make it particularly dangerous on social media, where user attention is intermittent and behavior is often impulsive.
Bitdefender emphasizes: No real company will charge more than 60 euros every 14 days in exchange for a free hamburger. Any prepaid “promotion” requires critical evaluation. Users are advised not to enter payment information on suspicious sites, to carefully study the terms and conditions, and to report fraudulent ads to Meta support. If you fall for a trap, contact your bank immediately to reverse the unauthorized charges.
The incident once again highlights how easily visually accurate advertising can turn into a costly deception, especially if the fine print isn’t read in time.
It also highlights how easy it is to launch an advertising campaign on behalf of a large company, bypassing IT defenses managed by artificial intelligence, in this case Meta.
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