Stand up for the facts!

Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.

More Info

I would like to contribute

Ciara O'Rourke
By Ciara O'Rourke July 20, 2023

Don’t try to get a $500 refund from Walmart; this offer isn’t authentic

If Your Time is short

  • This isn’t an authentic offer from Walmart. 
 

There’s no need to scrounge through receipts and credit card statements to find proof you shopped at Walmart in 2022 — a recent Facebook post promising a $500 refund from the company is a scam. 

"Due to recent lawsuit, they are obligated to refund $500 to customers who shopped in 2022," the July 19 Facebook post says. "Check if you're eligible for the refund by clicking 'Apply Now'. Answer a few questions to get started."

This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)

Randy Hargrove, a Walmart spokesperson, told PolitiFact there’s no truth to this claim. 

Featured Fact-check

We found no evidence that the offer is authentic, and it follows a pattern we’ve seen in other online scams. In the past year, for example, we’ve debunked claims that Walmart customers could be entitled to a $500 refund, that the store must give some women a $500 grocery credit as part of a discrimination settlement, that the government is giving every household a $500 Walmart shopping credit to help with inflation, and that the company’s management is helping families with rising prices by selling $500 grocery cards for $2.

Walmart spokespeople have previously told PolitiFact that these offers are fake. The company also advises customers to avoid buying, selling or checking a gift card balance "on online marketplaces outside of Walmart.com."

We rate this claim False.

 

Our Sources

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Ciara O'Rourke

Don’t try to get a $500 refund from Walmart; this offer isn’t authentic

Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!

In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.

Sign me up