Is This Costco Email a Scam? How to Tell
Costco impersonation scams feature fake membership renewal notices, exclusive deal offers, and anniversary reward promotions that direct victims to fraudulent websites.
Reviewed by the Cautellus team · Last updated May 30, 2026
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Scan Now — It's FreeCommon Costco Scam Types
Example Scam Messages
These are examples of fake messages impersonating Costco. Never click links in unsolicited messages.
“Your Costco membership expires today. Renew now to keep your benefits: costco-renew.com”
“Costco Anniversary Special: Claim your free $75 reward coupon. Limited time only!”
Red Flags to Watch For
- Membership renewal links not going to costco.com
- Reward offers requiring credit card info upfront
- Emails with poor grammar or generic greetings
- Social media ads for Costco giveaways
Real vs. Fake Costco — Side by Side
| Signal | Real Costco | Fake / Scam |
|---|---|---|
| Sender / link domain | costco.com or costcobusinessdelivery.com only. | costco-renew.com, costco-rewards.net, or any hyphenated look-alike. |
| Membership renewal | Renew inside your Costco account or at the warehouse. | Emails with "renew now or lose benefits" links to third-party pages. |
| Anniversary / survey rewards | Costco does not run email surveys that reward $75+ gift cards. | "Anniversary special" or Facebook ad promising huge reward for a short survey. |
| Payment request | Costco charges your card on file — no external payment forms. | Asks you to enter card details on a non-costco.com page to "confirm renewal." |
Legitimate Costco Contact Info
Visit costco.com or call 1-800-774-2678 for membership inquiries. Costco only communicates membership details through official channels.
Where to Report a Costco Scam
If you received or fell for a fake Costco message, report it to the authorities below. Reporting helps investigators track these campaigns.
- FTC — reportfraud.ftc.govReport fraud and scams to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
- FBI IC3 — ic3.govFile a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
- Cautellus reporting guide →Step-by-step help on who to contact and how to recover.
Live Community Flags
Recently reported Costco scam variants from the Cautellus community. Flagged items include deepfake videos, cloned voicemail, and spoofed domains.
Community reporting for Costco is launching soon. Submissions will appear here with timestamps and scam-type tags.
Report a Costco scam you've received →Related Articles
Other E-commerce Scams
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