If you are a fan of Shein, the online fashion retailer that offers cheap and trendy clothing and accessories for women, men and kids, you may have seen some ads or messages claiming that you can get a free gift card or product from Shein by participating in a survey or a quiz. However, before you click on those ads or messages, you should be aware that they are part of a scam that aims to steal your personal and financial information. In this blog post, we will tell you what the Shein Summer Giveaway Scam is, how it works, and what you can do if you have been scammed by it.
The Shein Summer Giveaway Scam is a fraudulent scheme that claims to offer free gift cards or products from Shein to people who participate in a survey or a quiz. The scam usually appears as a pop-up ad on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram or TikTok, or as an email or a text message. The scam may also use fake accounts or pages that pretend to be affiliated with Shein.
The scam promises that participants will receive a free gift card worth $500 or more, or a free product of their choice from Shein, after completing a few simple steps. However, these steps are designed to trick people into providing their personal and financial information, such as their name, address, phone number, email, credit card details, or bank account details. The scammers then use this information to steal money from the victims or to sell it to other criminals.
How does the Shein Summer Giveaway Scam work?
The Shein Summer Giveaway Scam works by exploiting the trust and curiosity of online shoppers who are looking for a good deal. The scam may use different tactics to entice people to click on the pop-up ad or the link in the email or text message. For example, the scam may claim that the offer is limited or exclusive, that it is only valid for a short time, or that it is part of a celebration or an anniversary.
Once people click on the ad or the link, they are taken to a fake website that looks similar to the official Shein website. The website may display the logo and the colors of Shein, as well as images of products and reviews from satisfied customers. The website may also ask people to verify their identity by logging in with their social media account or their email address.
The website then asks people to complete a survey or a quiz about their shopping preferences, their personal style, their favorite products from Shein, etc. The survey or the quiz may seem harmless and fun, but it is actually a way for the scammers to collect more information about the victims and to make them feel more engaged and invested in the process.
After completing the survey or the quiz, people are asked to choose their free gift card or product from Shein. The website may show a list of options with different values and categories, such as clothing, accessories, shoes, etc. The website may also ask people to pay a small shipping fee or a handling fee to receive their free gift. The website may claim that this fee is refundable or that it is covered by a coupon code.
However, when people enter their credit card details or their bank account details to pay for the fee, they are actually giving away their money and their information to the scammers. The scammers may use this information to make unauthorized charges on the victims’ accounts or to transfer money out of them. The scammers may also use this information to commit identity theft or other frauds.
The victims never receive their free gift card or product from Shein. Instead, they may receive spam emails or calls from other scammers who try to trick them into more scams. They may also notice suspicious transactions on their accounts or receive bills for services they never signed up for.
What to do if you have fallen victim to the Shein Summer Giveaway Scam
If you have fallen victim to the Shein Summer Giveaway Scam, you should take immediate action to protect yourself and your money. Here are some steps you can take:
Contact your bank or your credit card company and report the fraudulent charges. Ask them to cancel your card and issue you a new one. You may also need to change your online banking password and security questions.
Contact your local police and file a report. You may also need to file a report with your national consumer protection agency or your cybercrime unit.
Contact Shein customer service and inform them about the scam. They may be able to help you with verifying if the offer was legitimate or not.
Delete any emails or messages related to the scam. Do not click on any links or attachments in them.
Block any phone numbers or social media accounts associated with the scam. Do not respond to any calls or messages from them.
Scan your computer and your phone for viruses and malware.
Be more careful and vigilant when shopping online. Do not trust any offers that seem too good to be true. Do not provide your personal or financial information to anyone you do not know or trust. Do not click on any pop-up ads or links that appear on your screen. Always check the URL and the security certificate of the website you are visiting. Always read the terms and conditions and the privacy policy of any online service you use.
Is Your Device Infected? Scan for Malware
If your computer or phone is slow, showing unwanted pop-ups, or acting strangely, malware could be the cause. Running a scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free is one of the most reliable ways to detect and remove harmful software. The free version can identify and clean common infections such as adware, browser hijackers, trojans, and other unwanted programs.
Malwarebytes works on Windows, Mac, and Android devices. Choose your operating system below and follow the steps to scan your device and remove any malware that might be slowing it down.
Malwarebytes for WindowsMalwarebytes for MacMalwarebytes for Android
Run a Malware Scan with Malwarebytes for Windows
Malwarebytes stands out as one of the leading and widely-used anti-malware solutions for Windows, and for good reason. It effectively eradicates various types of malware that other programs often overlook, all at no cost to you. When it comes to disinfecting an infected device, Malwarebytes has consistently been a free and indispensable tool in the battle against malware. We highly recommend it for maintaining a clean and secure system.
Download Malwarebytes
Download the latest version of Malwarebytes for Windows using the official link below. Malwarebytes will scan your computer and remove adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious software for free.
(The above link will open a new page from where you can download Malwarebytes)
Install Malwarebytes
After the download is complete, locate the MBSetup file, typically found in your Downloads folder. Double-click on the MBSetup file to begin the installation of Malwarebytes on your computer. If a User Account Control pop-up appears, click “Yes” to continue the Malwarebytes installation.
Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, the setup wizard will guide you through the process.
You’ll first be prompted to choose the type of computer you’re installing the program on—select either “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” as appropriate, then click on Next.
Malwarebytes will now begin the installation process on your device.
When the Malwarebytes installation is complete, the program will automatically open to the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen.
On the final screen, simply click on the Open Malwarebytes option to start the program.
Enable “Rootkit scanning”.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start, and you will see the main screen as shown below. To maximize Malwarebytes’ ability to detect malware and unwanted programs, we need to enable rootkit scanning. Click on the “Settings” gear icon located on the left of the screen to access the general settings section.
In the settings menu, enable the “Scan for rootkits” option by clicking the toggle switch until it turns blue.
Now that you have enabled rootkit scanning, click on the “Dashboard” button in the left pane to get back to the main screen.
Perform a Scan with Malwarebytes.
To start a scan, click the Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its antivirus database and begin scanning your computer for malicious programs.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now scan your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Quarantine detected malware
Once the Malwarebytes scan is complete, it will display a list of detected malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. To effectively remove these threats, click the “Quarantine” button.
Malwarebytes will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the program’s quarantine.
Restart your computer.
When removing files, Malwarebytes may require a reboot to fully eliminate some threats. If you see a message indicating that a reboot is needed, please allow it. Once your computer has restarted and you are logged back in, you can continue with the remaining steps.
Once the scan completes, remove all detected threats. Your Windows computer should now be clean and running smoothly again, free of trojans, adware, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed this malicious program on your computer, you may want to consider purchasing Malwarebytes Premium to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Malwarebytes for Mac is an on-demand scanner that can destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss without costing you absolutely anything. When it comes to cleaning up an infected device, Malwarebytes has always been free, and we recommend it as an essential tool in the fight against malware.
Download Malwarebytes for Mac.
You can download Malwarebytes for Mac by clicking the link below.
When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the setup file to install Malwarebytes on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes.
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes for Mac Installer which will guide you through the installation process. Click “Continue“, then keep following the prompts to continue with the installation process.
When your Malwarebytes installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen. Click the “Get started” button.
Select “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer”.
The Malwarebytes Welcome screen will first ask you what type of computer are you installing this program, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.
Click on “Scan”.
To scan your computer with Malwarebytes, click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes for Mac will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for malware.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will scan your computer for adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Quarantine”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected. To remove the malware that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine” button.
Restart computer.
Malwarebytes will now remove all the malicious files that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.
After scanning, delete any detected threats. Your Mac should now be free from adware, unwanted extensions, and other potentially harmful software.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious program on your computer, you might want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove a malicious program from your computer, please ask for help in our Mac Malware Removal Help & Support forum.
Run a Malware Scan with Malwarebytes for Android
Malwarebytes for Android automatically detects and removes dangerous threats like malware and ransomware so you don’t have to worry about your most-used device being compromised. Aggressive detection of adware and potentially unwanted programs keeps your Android phone or tablet running smooth.
Download Malwarebytes for Android.
You can download Malwarebytes for Android by clicking the link below.
In the Google Play Store, tap “Install” to install Malwarebytes for Android on your device.
When the installation process has finished, tap “Open” to begin using Malwarebytes for Android. You can also open Malwarebytes by tapping on its icon in your phone menu or home screen.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process
When Malwarebytes will open, you will see the Malwarebytes Setup Wizard which will guide you through a series of permissions and other setup options. This is the first of two screens that explain the difference between the Premium and Free versions. Swipe this screen to continue. Tap on “Got it” to proceed to the next step. Malwarebytes for Android will now ask for a set of permissions that are required to scan your device and protect it from malware. Tap on “Give permission” to continue. Tap on “Allow” to permit Malwarebytes to access the files on your phone.
Update database and run a scan with Malwarebytes for Android
You will now be prompted to update the Malwarebytes database and run a full system scan.
Click on “Update database” to update the Malwarebytes for Android definitions to the latest version, then click on “Run full scan” to perform a system scan.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now start scanning your phone for adware and other malicious apps. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Remove Selected”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes for Android has detected. To remove the malicious apps that Malwarebytes has found, tap on the “Remove Selected” button.
Restart your phone.
Malwarebytes for Android will now remove all the malicious apps that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your device.
When the scan is finished, remove all detected threats. Your Android phone should now be free of malicious apps, adware, and unwanted browser redirects.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious app on your phone, you may want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your phone after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Restore your phone to factory settings by going to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset.
After cleaning your device, it’s important to protect it from future infections and annoying pop-ups. We recommend installing an ad blocker such as AdGuard. AdGuard blocks malicious ads, prevents phishing attempts, and stops dangerous redirects, helping you stay safe while browsing online.
Conclusion
The Shein Summer Giveaway Scam is a dangerous and deceptive scheme that targets online shoppers who are looking for a bargain. The scam uses fake websites, ads, emails and messages to lure people into providing their personal and financial information, which the scammers then use to steal money or commit fraud. The scam also promises free gift cards or products from Shein, but the victims never receive them.
If you have encountered or fallen victim to the Shein Summer Giveaway Scam, you should report it to the authorities and to Shein customer service. You should also take steps to secure your accounts and your devices. You should also be more cautious and aware when shopping online and avoid any offers that seem too good to be true.
Stelian leverages over a decade of cybersecurity expertise to lead malware analysis and removal, uncover scams, and educate people. His experience provides insightful analysis and valuable perspective.
