Facebook has been removing group and fan pages tied to gift card scams – such as one for a $1,000 Ikea gift card – as soon as it finds out or is alerted to the bogus promotional pages.

The scams have not been widespread yet, but show potential for significant security risks for users taken in by the tempting offers.  The promotions can quickly draw tens of thousands of users to a Facebook page before it is shut down.  

The schemes usually promote gift cards from well-known retailers, such as Best Buy and Whole Foods, and drive Facebook users to fan or group pages, urging them to tell their friends.

The fraudsters ultimately direct users to a third-party marketing website, where they are asked for personal information, such as an address and phone number and, in the most blatant cases, a credit card number.

They are then sent to legitimate sites to sign up for a certain number of special offers to qualify for the gift card. By then, the scammers have what they want: your valuable information.

Online security experts say this is one method used by identity thieves. In some cases when they ask for a credit card number, unauthorized charges will appear monthly – at least until the victim notices the item on their card statements and reports it.

Last month, a $1,000 Ikea gift card scam drew more than 70,000 victims to a scam fan page before it was removed, reports PCWorld.com. Another scam offering a $500 Whole Foods gift certificate was also reported.

Facebook’s security team has posted this warning:

”Watch out for suspicious offers for free gift cards. We’ve been removing groups and Pages that promise free gift cards, but instead trick people into entering information or spamming their friends. If you come across one, report it to us immediately.”

These scams are not unlike the so-called “negative option” free-offer schemes that Visa and the Federal Trade Commission have warned the public about in recent months.  These are not necessarily out-right scams, but are frequently targeted by the FTC for violating rules against certain deceptive marketing practes.

Here’s how “negative option” works:

A consumer accepts an online offer for a “free trial” or “sample,” then provides credit card information to pay for a small shipping charge. But they don’t realize that there is a pre-checked box, normally near the bottom of a fine-print page, or buried under “Terms and Conditions,” that authorizes future charges.

Consumers are required to “un-click” or opt-out of a pre-checked terms and conditions or a payment authorization box; or cancel before the trial period ends to avoid being billed on a recurring basis. 

Visa has set up this page with more facts.