Those who opt to shop on the ultra affordable fast fashion website Shein have been warned about a Christmas scam that could be financially ruinous.
It can be easy to fall victim to these scams, as Shein often offer 'mystery boxes' for even more money off when browsing their website.
Though as a general rule of thumb, it's good to bear in mind that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is,
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CEO of QR Code Generator, Marc Porcar, told the Mirror that the mystery box initiative may be used against bargain hunters, and they should all be on the look out for red flags.
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.
"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."
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There are a list of things to look out for, including:
- Variations on Shein's official website name (shein.com). Any mispellings or alternative endings, for example .co.uk, aren't the real thing.
- Scam websites are likely to be missing a contact page with legitimate company addresses, customer service contact methods and employee information
- Shein uses professional images to sell products, so it's worth looking out for badly edited photos or watermarks
- While Shein is known for low prices, extreme discounts should rouse suspicion
- Spelling and grammar errors are a red flag
- A lock icon in the address bar and the correct https URL should be present
The expert adds: "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.
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"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, scammers have a lot of potential to trick shoppers.”
If you suspect you have been scammed, there are courses of action you can take.
Porcar advises: "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."
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Be careful out there, Shein shoppers.
Kya Buller