Lowe's scams
Last updated September 19, 2026
The short answer
Lowe's scams cluster around three things: fake social-media giveaways that harvest personal details, gift cards demanded as payment by other scammers, and contractors falsely claiming to be Lowe's-affiliated installers. Lowe's runs promotions only through lowes.com and its verified accounts.
Home improvement retail sits at the intersection of two scam economies. One is online: fake giveaways and coupon offers that spread on social media, where a Lowe's-branded post asking you to share and fill in a form looks like the hundreds of legitimate promotions people see every week. The other is physical: the contractor who says they work with Lowe's, takes a deposit for a kitchen or a roof, and never returns.
How Lowe's scams work
- 1
Fake giveaways and coupon posts
A post offers a large gift card for a milestone anniversary, requiring a share and a form. The form collects name, address, phone and email — sold as a verified lead list — and sometimes ends in a "shipping fee" card charge.
- 2
Contractor deposit fraud
Someone presents as a Lowe's-affiliated installer, quotes a job, takes a deposit in cash or by payment app, and disappears. Lowe's does contract installation through vetted providers, but the arrangement is made through Lowe's, not by a person who knocks.
- 3
Gift cards as a payment channel
Tech support, IRS-impersonation and romance scams routinely send victims to buy Lowe's gift cards, because home improvement cards attract less attention than a rack of prepaid Visas.
- 4
Fake order and delivery notices
An email confirms a large order you did not place, with a number to call to cancel. The number leads to a "refund" process requiring remote access to your computer.
Warning signs
- A giveaway asks you to share a post and fill in a form with your address and phone number
- An offer comes from a page that is not the verified Lowe's account
- A contractor claims a Lowe's affiliation but was not arranged through Lowe's
- You are asked to pay a deposit in cash, Zelle, Venmo or gift card
- An unexpected order confirmation includes a phone number to call
- Anyone tells you to pay a bill, fine or fee with Lowe's gift cards
- A "shipping fee" is needed to release a prize
Examples
The $500 anniversary card
A Facebook post celebrating a Lowe's anniversary offers $500 gift cards to the first 5,000 people who share and register. 90,000 people share it. The form collects a full contact profile that is sold on; a portion are then called by a "prize department" wanting a $9.95 processing fee and a card number.
Deposit for a kitchen that never started
A homeowner accepts a quote from a man presenting as a Lowe's installation partner, paying a $6,200 deposit by Zelle for cabinets. No work begins and the number stops working. Lowe's has no record of the installer, and Zelle payments to an individual are not recoverable.
What to do
- Check any promotion on lowes.com or the verified Lowe's social account before entering anything.
- Arrange installation through Lowe's directly, and pay through Lowe's rather than to an individual.
- Never pay a contractor deposit by payment app, wire or gift card. Use a card so you have dispute rights.
- Check real orders in your Lowe's account rather than calling a number from an email.
- Never buy gift cards at anyone's instruction.
Report it to Lowe's
Report suspected fraud through Lowe's customer care at 1-800-445-6937. Lowe's publishes no reporting inbox.
Getting your money back
A contractor deposit paid by card can be disputed as services not rendered; one paid by Zelle, Venmo or cash usually cannot, which is the entire reason those methods are requested. Report contractor fraud to your state attorney general and your local police — these operators work a neighbourhood and reports connect victims. If personal details went into a giveaway form, expect a long tail of calls and texts; if a card number went in, cancel it and dispute the charges.
Frequently asked questions
Does Lowe's give away gift cards on social media?
Lowe's runs genuine promotions, but only through lowes.com and its verified accounts, and they never require you to share a post and submit your home address to a third-party form. When in doubt, look for the promotion on lowes.com — if it is not there, it is not real.
How do I verify a Lowe's installer?
Arrange installation through Lowe's itself — in store, at lowes.com, or on 1-800-445-6937 — and confirm the provider with them. Anyone who approaches you first claiming a Lowe's affiliation should be verified with Lowe's before any money changes hands.
Why do scammers ask for home improvement gift cards?
Because they carry high balances, are sold in large racks, and attract less suspicion than prepaid debit cards when someone buys several. The brand is irrelevant to the scam itself — no legitimate debt, fine or fee is ever paid with a gift card.
Other companies scammers impersonate
Scams reuse their scripts across brands. If you were contacted about Lowe's, these are the guides worth reading next.