Shein shoppers are being told to be careful over the coming weeks. It comes after fraudsters were caught trying to trick people with tempting online offers that seem too good to be true.
The Chinese brand was founded in 2008. The platform has recently become so popular that scammers have used its trusted reputation for their own criminal advantage.
The online fashion giant occasionally sends its customers good offers online, but one to watch out for is the ‘mystery box’. Shein can sometimes give these out genuinely, but it’s become an easy way for scammers to harvest your personal data.
Marc Porcar, CEO of QR Code Generator, issued a stark warning to shoppers that will want to avoid being conned by online scammers who exploit the internet for their schemes. He said: “If you receive an email with a ‘Shein mystery box,’ do not open it. It is a phishing email, not from Shein but from unidentified hackers looking to steal your personal information.”
He further explained the scam’s mechanics, adding: “Designed to trick recipients into clicking on a link that redirects them to a fake website, this website mimics Shein’s official website, allowing users to enter their personal information to win a prize. Whilst Shein does offer legitimate mystery boxes during promotions or special events, the way to know if they are legitimate is to recognise the website you are directed to.”
With a number of sham Shein websites already set up online, Marc advises that there are straightforward methods to identify a counterfeit site. Typically, these sites will exhibit one or more glaring issues that should prompt skepticism among vigilant shoppers, reports the Mirror.
Spotting these tell-tale signs could stop you from making a huge mistake that could cost you hundreds or thousands of pounds. Things to watch out for include:
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If the domain name does not match Shein’s official site (shein.com). Variations (including misspellings or different endings like .co.uk) should be considered untrustworthy
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Check for a legitimate contact page with company addresses, customer service numbers, and employee information. Scam sites will often not have these
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Look for poorly edited images with watermarks or low resolutions. Shein uses professional photography for all of its products.
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Be cautious of prices that seem more than 50% lower than Shein’s real pricing. Extreme discounts are always suspicious.
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Watch out for spelling and grammar errors throughout the site
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Make sure secure checkout protocols like “https” URLs and lock icons are present before entering payment details anywhere
Marc added: “When speaking with customer service at Shein, it is important never to share any personal or payment information via phone call, text message, or WhatsApp. Shein only uses email and in-site chat for customer service.”
Shein is one of the world’s most popular shopping platforms, with more than 500 million downloads on the Google Play Store alone, meaning scammers have a lot of potential to trick shoppers. The cybersecurity specialist advises those who fall prey to such scams to take swift action.
He said: “Immediately contact your bank or payment provider to stop any pending transactions and explain you have paid a scam website impersonating Shein. You can then dispute the charges as fraud.
“Ensure you check your credit card statements and bank account closely for any unauthorised charges from the fake website and report any if so. Contact the legit Shein customer support using the number on their official website to flag the fake website.”