Alton Towers WhatsApp ticket offer 'a scam'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-44384806

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A WhatsApp message promising free Alton Towers tickets is a scam, theme park bosses have warned.

Users have reported receiving a link via the app offering five free passes to the first 500 families to share the message.

When clicked, the link takes users to a survey and encourages them to send it on to 20 friends.

The Staffordshire theme park said it is taking action to remove the offer and urged guests not to share it.

Paige Wistow, from Derbyshire, who got the message from a contact on WhatsApp, said she was taken to a page which said there were limited tickets remaining.

It then asked her to answer four questions.

She said: "Once I had answered the questions, the website told me to send the link to 20 WhatsApp friends to claim my prize."

Dozens of people have raised concerns about the scam on social media.

A spokesman for Alton Towers said: "We are aware of a ticket offer being shared on social media that claims to be from Alton Towers Resort.

"This is not a genuine offer, or in any way affiliated with Alton Towers.

"Action is being taken to remove this offer and we urge guests not to share their personal details or forward the offer to their contacts."

Staffordshire Police said it has received no reports of the alleged ticket fraud.

WhatsApp has been approached for comment.