As Thanksgiving got closer this year, my inbox started filling up with the usual holiday deals. But one email stood out because it claimed to be from Costco and promised something most people would rush to click on, a free Complete Gourmet Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner that supposedly served eight people. It sounded generous, almost too generous, and that was my first hint that something was off.
In this review, I’ll walk you through exactly how the Costco Thanksgiving Dinner scam works, the websites involved, and what you should do if you accidentally fell for it. If you’ve been wondering whether the “free Costco Thanksgiving meal” email is legit, here’s the full breakdown.
How the Fake Costco Email Started
The email came with the subject line:
“Costco Dinner, Latest Information.”
Right away, the sender looked suspicious. Instead of anything Costco-related, it showed:
From: Customer Deal ([email protected])
No business email, no official domain… just a random Gmail address. Costco would never reach out like that, so that was red flag number one.
The message itself congratulated me for being “selected” to receive a 28-pound Gourmet Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner. To claim it, I supposedly needed to take a quick survey. Everything about it had that pushy, urgent tone scammers use to get you to click before thinking.
The Fake “Costco Experience Survey” Websites
Once I checked the link, it didn’t lead to Costco at all. Instead, the email redirected to a fake survey page on:
- dinusreal.store
After answering a few useless questions, the scam funneled me into one of two websites:
- bargainhunterparadise.com
- electronquickline.store
Both had almost identical layouts and both were designed to get you to “claim your prize.” Except that claiming the prize actually signs you up for hidden subscription charges.
This trick is extremely common, scammers offer something “free,” then hide monthly charges inside the terms and conditions.
The Customer Support Information (Also Fake)
To make the scam look more legitimate, both sites listed customer service contacts:
bargainhunterparadise.com
- Phone: (844) 722-4985
- Email: [email protected]
electronquickline.store
- Phone: (855) 831-2180
- Email: [email protected]
These aren’t real customer support centers. They usually lead to call centers that pretend to “fix” your issue while trying to get more information from you.
The Hidden Subscription Scam Explained
This whole operation is built around one tactic: subscription traps.
Here’s how it works:
- You’re told you’ve won something valuable (like a Costco dinner).
- You’re asked to pay a small shipping fee or “verification fee.”
- In the tiny fine print, usually on another page, they enroll you in a subscription.
- A few days later, you start seeing charges of $50 to $150 every month for a service you never wanted.
This scheme has been used for years under different names, and they always target big brands like Costco, Walmart, Amazon and Target to appear legitimate.
Is Costco involved?
Absolutely not. Costco has nothing to do with these emails or these websites.
What To Do If You Fell For the Scam
If you clicked the link, entered your card details, or filled out the survey, here’s what you need to do immediately:
1. Call your bank or credit card company
Tell them you were charged as part of a subscription scam.
Ask them to:
- Block future charges
- Reverse any recent fees
- Issue a new card if needed
2. Report fraud
Most banks take these cases seriously. The earlier you report it, the better your chances of getting your money back.
3. Watch your statements
Subscription scams sometimes try to charge again under different names.
Stay Alert This Holiday Season
The Costco Complete Gourmet Thanksgiving Dinner Email Scam relies on excitement, urgency and the promise of something valuable for free. It’s designed to look harmless at first, but the moment you enter your payment details, you’re pulled into a subscription you never agreed to.
If you ever receive an email offering free meals, free gift cards or exclusive rewards, always check:
- The sender’s email
- The link address
- The website domain
- Whether it matches the real brand
If it feels “off,” it probably is.
Conclusion
If you’ve seen this scam or a similar one, feel free to share your experience, you might help someone else avoid it.
One of such scams we have discussed here is the Travis Mathew Warehouse Sale Scam
