It Looks Real Because It’s Meant To: The ODEL Backpack Scam That’s Fooling Thousands
You’re casually scrolling Facebook when a post catches your eye.
A North Face backpack — brand new and neatly packaged. A wrinkled receipt is held up to the camera. The caption tells an emotional story: a man who worked loyally for ODEL for seven years, only to be fired at age 50. His child, now angry, shares a “secret employee offer” for a nearly free backpack — and drops a link to what looks like an official page.
The link: https://backpack-quiz.com/sale.odel.lk which has now been taken down.
The whole thing feels personal.
Heartfelt.
Real.
But it’s not.
🚫 Important: ODEL Is Not Behind This
Let’s be clear: ODEL has nothing to do with this offer.
ODEL is a well-established, trusted Sri Lankan retail brand known for its service, quality, and professionalism.
This scam is brand impersonation, a technique used by fraudsters who exploit the names of real companies to gain your trust. They aren’t former employees — they’re cybercriminals looking to exploit emotions for clicks, data, and money.
🎭 How the Scam Works: Step by Step
1. The Emotional Facebook Post
You encounter a post that looks like this:
Each post uses the same tactic:
- Emotional story
- Photoshopped receipt
- Well-known brand
- Too-good-to-be-true offer
2. The Fake Offer Page
Once you click the link, you land on a fake product page showing the backpack priced at Rs. 595. There’s a countdown timer to pressure you:
“Your cart is reserved for 04:00 minutes!”
You’re asked to provide:
- Name
- Delivery address
- Email and phone number
3. The Payment Trap
Next, you’re taken to a polished payment gateway asking for:
- Credit card number
- Expiry date
- CVV code
What you think is a shipping fee is actually a phishing attempt or subscription trap.
Once you click Pay Now, your data is exposed.
You might be:
- Charged repeatedly
- Enrolled in a fake subscription
- Sold to data brokers
- Or worse — your identity stolen
🧾 Why It Feels So Real
This scam works because it borrows trust:
- Brands like ODEL, North Face, and Imtiaz
- Relatable, emotional storytelling
- Clean, professional-looking pages
- Fake reviews and trust seals like “Google Verified” or “VeriSign”
- Countdown timers to create urgency
It’s not clumsy — it’s calculated. And it’s designed to rush you through the process before you stop to think.
🔥 These Are Not Isolated Posts
This scam isn’t just targeting Sri Lankans.
The same format has appeared across different countries using different logos, currencies, and company names.
The fraud is modular — the only thing that changes is the brand they impersonate and the audience they target.
🧠 How to Stay Safe
✅ Never trust viral giveaways from Facebook posts or comment links
✅ Always check domain names carefully — if it’s not www.odel.lk, it’s not ODEL
✅ Don’t enter credit card information on unknown sites
✅ Report scams to the platform (e.g. Facebook, Instagram)
✅ Warn your friends and family, especially those less familiar with digital scams
⚠️ Final Reminder
This isn’t just a backpack scam.
It’s a method of extracting trust, data, and money — through deception.
ODEL is not behind this.
They are one of many brands being impersonated by scammers for credibility.
So next time you see a heartfelt post offering a secret giveaway, ask yourself:
“Would a real company promote this… or is someone just pretending to be them?”
Because trust isn’t just about shopping safely.
It’s about staying safe.
