Lured by Burgers: Fake McDonald’s Prize Ad on Meta Leads to Costly Subscription Scam

Note: All product and company names mentioned herein are for identification purposes only and are the property of, and may be trademarks of, their respective owners.

Have you seen the latest McDonald’s promo? I mean, who wouldn’t say yes to some savory fast food from time to time? Burgers, fries and some cold drinks on a hot summer’s day for just 10 lei (2 bucks)?

What If I were to tell you that it’s just another scam?

Bitdefender Labs research Ionut Baltariu is once again sounding the alarm on a wave of scams targeting Facebook and Instagram users. The lure? A too-good-to-be-true fast food prize that drains their wallets through hidden subscription charges.

Posing as a McDonald’s Romania promotion, the fraudulent campaign promises a McDelight Combo meal for just 10 lei. But instead of a cheap treat, the people who fall for it find themselves subscribed to a 63.42 EUR bi-weekly charge.

How the Scam Works

Victims encounter an ad on Meta platforms (Facebook/Instagram) using McDonald’s branding, Coca-Cola images, and star ratings. It offers “Triple Deal” menus (Big Macs, fries, drinks) for a symbolic 10 lei.

Upon clicking the link in the ad, users are invited to answer a three-question survey, giving the illusion of legitimacy and urgency.

If it sounds familiar, that’s because it is. The same M.O. ids used in many scams we’ve seen on Meta-owned platforms for months now, including the Fake Sephora Advent Calendar Ads spotted in December 2024.

Once a user selects the YES/NO answers from the survey, they’re redirected to a click-style game where they can win the purported prize from McDonald’s.

There’s no win or lose here. Every user who engages with the ad is ultimately a “winner.”

This next screenshot shows users they’ve “won” the prize and tells them to complete a form. Their combo meal will be delivered in 5 to 7 days.

After clicking the OK button, users are directed to a seemingly secure checkout that also showcases fake customer reviews to boost trust.

The fine print reveals that the user is in fact enrolling in a recurring subscription of €63.42 every 14 days. Many victims miss this detail due to the misleading design.

Reach and Targeting

• The scam campaign targeting Romania began July 17 and is ongoing. At least six ad variants were pushed across Facebook and Instagram under the fake brand McDelight România.
• Estimated reach: Over 10,000 Romanian users (based on ad data and variations).
• Similar versions of the scam are being promoted in Hungary and the Netherlands this month.

What You Should Do

• Do not enter your payment information on suspicious promo sites—even if they look professional.
• Watch out for small print. Scammers often hide subscription fees in fine print or in unchecked boxes.
• Report the ad immediately on Facebook or Instagram.
• Check your bank account if you think you’ve already entered details.
• Contact your bank to block charges or cancel the card if needed.

Tools That Can Help You Fend off These Scams

• Bitdefender Scamio (Free): If you're unsure whether a link or offer is fake, forward it to Scamio for real-time analysis.
• Bitdefender Link Checker (Free): Real-time checks for fraudulent or malicious links
• Bitdefender Mobile Security: Includes web protection and scam detection on mobile browsers and social platforms. Plus we've recently released Call Blocking for Android - adding an additional scam protection layer.

Remember – no legitimate company will charge €63.42 every two weeks for a “free” meal.