LEGO is not selling sets for £3

A post circulating on Facebook claims that LEGO is selling toy sets for just £3. But this “exclusive deal” is not a genuine one from the company. 

It says: “Lego is selling 1 out оf 7 sets for only £3…Keep in mind the packaging may be a little damaged…To get this exclusive deal, go online and answer a few quick questions”, and links to a website resembling the official LEGO website.

The post includes a photo of a woman holding a box supposedly with a £3 offer label at a LEGO store. A reverse image search shows the original image features the woman standing in a library and the box does not have a £3 label on it. 

A spokesperson for the LEGO Group confirmed to Full Fact that this is not a genuine offer from them. They said: “We are aware of fraudulent social media advertisements connected to fake websites, claiming to sell LEGO® products at unusually low prices. 

“We take this extremely seriously and are working with social media platforms, as well as internet hosts and payment services to remove the scam advertisements and fake websites as soon as they are found. Our customers’ safety is our top priority, and we remind them to remain vigilant when making online purchases.” 

There are several clues the website linked in the Facebook post is not genuine, including that it does not have an official LEGO web address and many of the buttons on the page do not work. LEGO has written about other ways to identify websites impersonating the company here. 

Moreover, the fake website asks users to complete three questions and then select the correct box from a display of 12 that ‘contains’ a LEGO set inside. On the third attempt, it says “congratulations” and goes to a payment page for users to pay £3 and supposedly claim the LEGO set. 

However, the small print says users will actually be joining a subscription “for a chance to win” a LEGO set and that the “subscription will automatically recur” until it is cancelled. 

Consumer organisation Which? has previously warned about online scams promoting LEGO sets. It said that “competitions” or “mini-games” that give the “illusion you’ve been specially selected for a prize” is another sign an offer is not genuine. 

Lisa Webb, Consumer Law Expert at Which?, told Full Fact: “We've previously uncovered these tempting Lego giveaway posts on Facebook, where expensive products are seemingly offered at a much cheaper price but are actually scams. As is so often the case, if a deal looks too good to be true then it probably is and it's best to steer clear. 

“Tell-tale warning signs to look out for are Facebook pages which have few followers, but many comments on the post, and dodgy URLs where you are taken to a website that uses Lego branding yet doesn't contain Lego's genuine URL.”

She advised people who had given their bank details to a giveaway page to contact their bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud or the police if they’re in Scotland. 

Posts allegedly from companies offering products and services for unbelievably low prices are common on social media. We’ve written about posts promoting a year’s free travel on Great Western Railway for £1.69, free tickets to Alton Towers and e-scooters for £3, as well as those linking to fake websites including Argos and former retailer Wilkos.

Image courtesy of Watty62