What’s Happening: Costco Email Phishing Scam Surge
Costco shoppers and members have seen an increase in phishing and scam emails that appear to come from Costco or use Costco branding — especially fake notifications about cashback rewards, gift cards, account problems, or special offers. These emails try to trick people into giving up personal or financial information or clicking malicious links. (MalwareTips Forums)
These scams are not from Costco itself — they’re fraudsters impersonating the brand to exploit shoppers’ trust. (customerservice.costco.com)
Examples include:
- Phishing emails claiming Costco has a “cashback bonus” that you must claim now by providing payment or account details. (MalwareTips Forums)
- Fake notifications about membership renewal issues or threats that your Costco account will be canceled unless you click a link. (Reddit)
- Emails that look like official order confirmations for things you never ordered. (AARP)
- Messages containing phishing links that lead to bogus pages asking for personal information. (customerservice.costco.com)
Because scammers constantly change tactics and email content, shoppers are seeing many variations of Costco-themed phishing attempts. (customerservice.costco.com)
How These Scam Emails Work
Phishing emails try to mimic legitimate Costco emails but contain subtle (or not-so-subtle) signs that they’re fake, such as: (MalwareTips Forums)
Fake sender addresses: They might look official but are actually non-Costco domains (e.g., “[email protected]” instead of a real @costco.com address). (MalwareTips Forums)
Urgency and pressure: Scammers use phrases like “act now or lose rewards” to rush you into clicking. (MalwareTips Forums)
Requests for personal data: Real Costco emails never ask you to send passwords, Social Security numbers, or full credit card numbers via email. (AARP)
Typos and poor grammar: Many phishing messages have spelling mistakes or awkward wording. (MalwareTips Forums)
Malicious links: Clicking a link can lead to fake websites designed to steal info or download malware. (customerservice.costco.com)
Real-World Examples from Reported Cases
Case Study 1 — “Unclaimed Cashback” Email
Shoppers reported receiving emails saying they had unclaimed Costco cashback rewards that would expire soon. The email included links and asked for verification of personal and financial information — classic phishing behavior. (MalwareTips Forums)
Case Study 2 — “Membership Cancellation Threat”
Some people shared emails claiming their Costco membership would be canceled if they didn’t update payment or account details immediately. These messages used fear to push recipients into clicking links. (Reddit)
Case Study 3 — Fake Gift Card Offers
Scam emails and associated fake websites have offered large Costco gift cards or rebates in exchange for completing surveys — but no gift cards are real, and entering info can lead to identity theft. (MalwareTips Forums)
How Shoppers Can Stay Safe: Step-by-Step
Here are practical, current tips to avoid falling for Costco email scams:
1. Check the Sender’s Email Carefully
Legitimate Costco emails use specific domains (e.g., @digital.costco.com, @trx.costco.com). If the domain doesn’t match, don’t trust it. (customerservice.costco.com)
2. Never Click Suspicious Links
If an email urges you to click a link to update payment or account info, don’t click it. Instead, open your browser and go to Costco.com yourself to check your account status. (customerservice.costco.ca)
3. Watch for Urgency or Threat Language
Scammers often pressure you to “act now” or risk losing rewards or membership. Costco doesn’t use threats like that in legitimate emails. (MalwareTips Forums)
4. Don’t Enter Personal Info in Email Responses
Real Costco communications will not ask for your password, credit card, SSN, or other sensitive data via email. (AARP)
5. Report Suspicious Emails
If you get a phishing email, report it as spam and forward suspicious emails to Costco’s fraud reporting address or contact their customer service to verify legitimacy. (customerservice.costco.ca)
6. Use a Separate Email for Shopping
Consider using a separate email address for online shopping and newsletters — this helps you spot scams more easily and keeps your primary inbox safer. (guard.io)
7. Enable Security Features
Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for accounts linked to email and online shopping, and use strong, unique passwords for each account. (MalwareTips Forums)
8. Educate Friends and Family
Scammers often target seniors and less tech-savvy people. Share these tips to help them avoid scams too. (MalwareTips Forums)
Recognizing Legit Costco Emails
Knowing what real Costco emails look like will help you spot fakes:
Emails from official Costco domains (see above)
Order confirmations for purchases you actually made
Membership invoices from known invoice addresses
Digital shop cards from [email protected] (legitimate, not a scam) (customerservice.costco.com)
If unsure, don’t trust an email just because it shows Costco branding. Always verify through your Costco account. (customerservice.costco.com)
Why This Matters Now
Phishing scams exploit trusted brands — including Costco — to trick people into exposing personal info or committing fraud. Because Costco has a large membership base, scammers know that a small percentage of people falling for emails is enough to make scams profitable. (customerservice.costco.com)
Being cautious and informed helps you avoid financial loss, identity theft, and malware infections. (MalwareTips Forums)
Here’s a **clear, case-based breakdown — with real examples and expert-sourced commentary — of the recent surge in Costco-related email phishing scams, why they’re happening, and how shoppers can stay safe:
Overview: What’s Driving the Scam Surge
Cybercriminals and scammers are increasingly impersonating Costco in fake email campaigns that look surprisingly real — using Costco branding, logos, and convincing language to try to trick recipients into clicking malicious links or sharing sensitive information. These scam emails often use urgency or prize offers to lure people into acting quickly without thinking. Costco has issued warnings that none of these fraudulent messages come from the company itself and customers should never trust them. (Infosecurity Magazine)
These display tactics include:
- Phishing for personal or financial info
- Fake reward offers or “exclusive giveaways”
- Bogus membership renewal or expiration alerts
- False job offers or surveys that steal data (Infosecurity Magazine)
Case Studies: How These Scams Play Out
Case Study 1 — Free Prize / Reward Scam
A recent alert described scammers sending emails that claim you’ve been “selected to win a prize” or “exclusive giveaway.” If you click the link, you’re asked to enter personal and financial details — but it’s a phishing trap designed to steal that information. Legitimate emails from Costco will never ask for personal financial data in this way. (Infosecurity Magazine)
Comment: These kinds of scams exploit excitement and urgency — common psychological triggers for clicking links before thinking. Real Costco promotions typically do not require filling out surveys with sensitive data. (Infosecurity Magazine)
Case Study 2 — Fake Membership Renewal Phishing
Some Costco members have reported emails claiming their membership has expired and urging them to update payment details via a provided link. These messages often arrive unprompted and look legitimate — but they’re not from Costco. A Better Business Bureau (BBB) report showed a victim who initially thought the email was real until they checked the sender and realized it didn’t match Costco contact details. (Better Business Bureau)
Comment: Scammers use urgency (“renew now or your account will be canceled”) to push recipients to react before verifying the source. Costco never asks for membership renewal details through unsolicited emails. (customerservice.costco.com)
Case Study 3 — Fake Product Offer Emails
A specific scam email offering a free Ninja CREAMi ice cream maker in exchange for completing a survey was flagged by law enforcement in California. The email looked like it came from Costco, but the sender domain had nothing to do with the official company, and the link could lead to credential theft or malware delivery. (KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco)
Comment: Offers that seem too good to be true (like big free prizes) are a classic hallmark of phishing campaigns. Scammers deliberately make these look “official” to reduce suspicion. (KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco)
Red Flags & Scam Indicators
Understanding common phishing signals can help you spot scams before it’s too late:
Sender’s email address doesn’t match any official Costco domain
(hover over the sender’s name to check — scammers use look-alike domains). (MalwareTips Forums)
Unusual urgency or threats — e.g., “Your membership will be canceled if you don’t act now.” (MalwareTips Forums)
Requests for sensitive data — passwords, bank info, Social Security numbers, etc. (costco.fr)
Poor grammar or awkward phrasing — often a sign of scam emails. (MalwareTips Forums)
Requests to click embedded links — especially ones that don’t match the displayed name. (MalwareTips Forums)
Comments & Expert Takeaways
Security experts warn that legitimate companies, including Costco, never ask for sensitive information via unsolicited emails or pop-ups — so if an email claims to be from Costco and asks you to enter passwords, financial info, or personal identifiers, it’s almost certainly a scam. (costco.fr)
Scammers use psychological strategies like urgency and prize incentives to bypass logical scrutiny. That’s why even experienced shoppers can be fooled if they’re not careful. (MalwareTips Forums)
Member reports on community forums confirm that Costco-themed phishing emails keep evolving — scammers constantly change email formats and message wording to make detection harder. This makes ongoing vigilance critical. (Reddit)
Staying Safe: Practical Steps
Here’s how shoppers can protect themselves against these scams:
1. Never click suspicious email links
Instead, type costco.com directly into your browser to check your account. (customerservice.costco.ca)
2. Verify sender email addresses
Real Costco emails come only from known official domains — anything else should be treated skeptically. (costco.fr)
3. Don’t share personal info via email
Costco will never request passwords, payment card numbers, or Social Security numbers via unsolicited email. (costco.fr)
4. Report spam or phishing attempts
Use your email client’s “report spam” feature and forward suspicious scams to Costco’s reported fraud contact addresses. (customerservice.costco.ca)
5. Educate family members
Seniors and less tech-savvy individuals are often targets — make sure they know the red flags. (Reddit)
Bottom Line
Scammers are banking on Costco’s huge membership base and trusted brand name to launch convincing phishing scams. They use fake rewards, urgent renewal notices, and bogus job or prize offers to lure people into handing over sensitive information. By knowing the common tactics and red flags, shoppers can protect themselves from financial loss and identity theft. (Infosecurity Magazine)