Fact Check: The Viral $750 Shein Reward Program Is A Scam
Written by: Thomas Orsolya
Published on:
Promises of easy cash in exchange for simple online activities seem too good to be true. And in the case of the $750 Reward Shein Program scam, they absolutely are. This lucrative offer preys on shoppers eager to earn rewards for their favorite fashion retailer Shein. But it’s all an elaborate ruse designed to steal personal information and money. Keep reading to uncover everything you need to know about recognizing and avoiding this scam.
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Scam Overview
The $750 Reward Shein Program scam operates through questionable websites advertising unbelievable cash payouts. These sites claim users can earn up to $750 just by completing “sponsored deals” within 7 days. The deals involve activities like:
Downloading apps
Signing up for subscriptions
Completing free trials
Shopping online deals
The scam site also promises chances to win up to $1000 through additional deals.
To get your alleged reward, you must complete ID verification too. But this is just a scheme to harvest your personal details for identity theft and reselling. In reality, if you participate in any deals, you’ll be at high risk of fraud. And you won’t receive any cash payouts despite completing all requirements.
This scam baits victims by promising easy rewards if they just complete a few activities. But it’s all a front to expose people’s data and make money from commissions, subscriptions, and selling your information.
How the Scam Sites Advertise
The $750 Reward Shein Program scam pops up in Google search results, social media ads, and spam emails. Scammers optimize these channels to target people searching for Shein coupons or rewards programs.
The scam sites closely mimic Shein’s branding with the company logo and similar layouts. This makes them appear credible at first glance. Prominent text and banners highlight the $750 reward potential. Clicking anywhere leads to pages requesting your personal information to “verify your eligibility” for rewards.
Here’s an example directly from one scam site:
Get $750 Towards SHEIN Shopping
Earn your reward by doing things you already enjoy doing! ———————————————————
Play mobile games
Stream movies & music
Shop online deals
The layout, promises of easy money, and Shein branding are all tactics to make the scam more convincing. But legitimate rewards programs would never offer huge sums of cash for minimal effort.
How the Scam Works
The $750 Reward Shein Program scam unfolds in several key stages:
1. Bait: Lucrative Cash Reward Offers
Scam sites advertise enticing rewards like $750 in Shein credit or cash. The amounts seem suspiciously high, but scammers know people find it hard to resist.
To earn the rewards, you just have to complete simple activities like free app downloads. The low effort required makes the payoff even more appealing.
2. Hook: Requests for Personal Information
Clicking on a scam site brings you to a page asking for personal details to “verify your eligibility.” You’ll need to enter info like:
Full name
Email address
Phone number
Physical address
Birthdate
Payment details
Scammers claim they need to validate your identity before you can participate and receive your reward. But this is just a scheme to harvest your information.
3. Scare Tactics: Limited Time Offers
Scam pages emphasize you need to act quickly to earn up to $750 in Shein rewards. Countdown timers create urgency, pressuring you to hand over personal data fast.
Limited time offers make the bait seem hot and scarce. This gets victims to stop thinking rationically in the heat of the moment.
4. Sign Ups: Downloads, Trials, Subscriptions
After entering your info, the site prompts you to complete “sponsor offers” to earn your reward. These include:
Downloading and signing up for mobile apps
Starting free trials of products/services
Purchasing subscriptions
Online shopping deals
You must complete a certain number of these offers within 7 days to get your alleged payout. Offers seem harmless since many are free initially. But they actually expose you to identity theft and unwanted charges.
5. No Payouts Despite Completing All Requirements
Here’s the ugly truth: even if you complete all sponsored offers, you won’t get your $750 Shein reward. Victims who fully participate never get the promised payout.
Scammers disappear once they have your personal information and make money from commissions on sign ups. The reward promises are completely fabricated to drive conversions.
Identity theft – Scammers have your full name, birthdate, address, etc. to commit fraud.
Unwanted charges – Free trials convert into expensive subscriptions if you don’t cancel in time.
More spam – Your email and phone number get sold to shady marketers.
Malware – Downloaded apps/files can infect devices with viruses, spyware, and malware.
Even after avoiding initial charges, victims suffer from ongoing account breaches, spam calls/emails, and device corruption.
What to do if You’ve Fallen Victim
If you already got hooked by a $750 Reward Shein Program scam, take the following steps right away:
Step 1: Scan Devices for Malware
If you downloaded any suspicious apps or files, scan all your devices immediately. Use Malwarebytes to detect and remove any malware lurking on your system.
Malware like spyware can monitor your activity and steal credentials. So it’s crucial to sweep your device and delete anything suspicious.
Step 2: Change All Passwords
Once scammers have your personal information, they can try accessing your online accounts. Reset the passwords for all of your online accounts like email, banking, social media, and shopping sites.
Use strong, unique passwords for each account moving forward. Password manager apps also help you generate and store secure passwords. Enabling two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security too.
Step 3: Contact Banks and Credit Card Companies
Contact your bank and credit card providers to monitor for any fraudulent activity. Report any charges you don’t recognize or account access that seems suspicious.
Financial institutions can freeze accounts, dispute charges, and reissue compromised cards. This limits the damage scammers can do with your payment details.
Step 4: Cancel Unwanted Subscriptions
Review all services you signed up for through sponsored offers. If you find any unwanted subscriptions, call the companies immediately to cancel.
Some shady vendors make it extremely difficult to unsubscribe online. Cancelling over the phone ensures you won’t get billed again after any free trial periods.
Step 5: Beware of Follow Up Scams
Fresh personal info makes you vulnerable to follow up scams. Be vigilant of any calls or emails claiming there was an issue with your reward.
Scammers often pose as Shein support staff saying you need to provide more details or verify payment info. Ignore these outright – any contact is just another scam attempt.
Step 6: Report the Scam Activity
To protect others, report scam sites and accounts whenever possible. Submit details to:
Shein – Contact Shein customer support so they can address scam sites imitating their brand.
Social media sites – Report scam ads or accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Google – Report misleading ads you see in Google search results.
Domain registrars – Lookup site registration details at Whois.com and report them to the listed registrar.
Ad networks – Report scammy affiliate networks misusing ads from Google Ads, Outbrain, Taboola, etc.
The more reports filed, the faster authorities can disrupt scams and protect other shoppers from falling victim.
Is Your Device Infected? Check for Malware
If your device is running slowly or acting suspicious, it may be infected with malware. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free is a great option for scanning your device and detecting potential malware or viruses. The free version can efficiently check for and remove many common infections.
Malwarebytes can run on Windows, Mac, and Android devices. Depending on which operating system is installed on the device you’re trying to run a Malwarebytes scan, please click on the tab below and follow the displayed steps.
Malwarebytes For WindowsMalwarebytes For MacMalwarebytes For Android
Scan your computer with Malwarebytes for Windows to remove malware
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 for Windows
You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below.
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.
Your computer should now be free of trojans, adware, browser hijackers, 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:
Scan your computer with Malwarebytes for Mac to remove malware
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.
Your Mac should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
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.
Scan your phone with Malwarebytes for Android to remove malware
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.
Your phone should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
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.
This scam operates through fake websites that mimic Shein’s branding and promise $750 rewards for completing sponsored offers. The offers expose people to identity theft, unwanted charges, and more. No matter how many offers you complete, you won’t get a real payout.
How do scammers advertise the fake rewards program?
Scam ads are optimized for search and social media. They target people looking for Shein coupons and rewards. The pages feature urgent calls to action and request personal info upfront to “verify eligibility” for $750 rewards.
What personal information do the scam sites ask for?
Scammers ask for full name, email, phone number, physical address, birthdate, and payment information. This enables them to commit identity theft and sell your data.
What sponsored offers do you have to complete?
Offers include free app downloads, subscription trials, online shopping deals, etc. This exposes you to identity theft, hidden subscription fees, malware infections, and marketing spam.
Do you actually get a $750 Shein reward if you complete all the offers?
No, the $750 rewards are completely fabricated. No matter how many offers you complete, you will not get a Shein gift card or cash payout. Victims never receive promised rewards.
What risks are you exposed to by providing your information?
Major risks include identity theft, financial fraud, hidden subscription fees, device malware infections, breached online accounts, and endless marketing spam calls and emails.
What should you do if you already shared your information with a scam site?
Scan devices for malware and delete anything suspicious
Reset all account passwords and enable two-factor authentication
Contact banks and credit card companies to monitor for fraud
Cancel any unwanted subscriptions
Beware of follow up scam calls or emails
Report the scam to authorities like the FTC
How can you avoid falling for the $750 Reward Shein Program scam?
Stick to Shein’s official site instead of questionable links, don’t enter personal info on sketchy sites, don’t download unverified apps, and consult trustworthy consumer sites about unfamiliar rewards offers.
The Bottom Line
The promise of earning $750 in Shein rewards or gift cards for minimal effort is a complete scam. These fake reward programs only exist to harvest your personal data for identity theft and resell it for profit. No matter how many sponsored offers you complete, you won’t receive any payout.
Protect yourself by learning to recognize the warning signs of this scam:
Rewards that sound too good to be true usually are. Legitimate rewards programs rarely pay out high sums for little work.
Requests for personal info early on should raise red flags. No legitimate site would demand extensive details just to “verify eligibility.”
High pressure tactics like countdown timers or limited time offers should make you step back and think logically.
Expect identity theft, unwanted charges, malware, and spam if you hand over information or complete dubious offers.
Customer service and support channels are non-existent – huge red flag for a scam.
Avoid clicking on questionable links, entering personal details on sketchy sites, or downloading unverified apps. Stick to Shein’s official site and channels to find authentic promotions and rewards programs. And consult trustworthy consumer protection sites when unsure about unfamiliar offers.
Being vigilant against increasingly convincing scam tactics will keep your identity and wallet safe. Don’t let coveted rewards blind you – if it seems too good to be true, it always is.
How to Stay Safe Online
Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:
Use a good antivirus and keep it up-to-date.
It's essential to use a good quality antivirus and keep it up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. We are huge fans of Malwarebytes Premium and use it on all of our devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well as our mobile devices. Malwarebytes sits beside your traditional antivirus, filling in any gaps in its defenses, and providing extra protection against sneakier security threats.
Keep software and operating systems up-to-date.
Keep your operating system and apps up to date. Whenever an update is released for your device, download and install it right away. These updates often include security fixes, vulnerability patches, and other necessary maintenance.
Be careful when installing programs and apps.
Pay close attention to installation screens and license agreements when installing software. Custom or advanced installation options will often disclose any third-party software that is also being installed. Take great care in every stage of the process and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next."
Install an ad blocker.
Use a browser-based content blocker, like AdGuard. Content blockers help stop malicious ads, Trojans, phishing, and other undesirable content that an antivirus product alone may not stop.
Be careful what you download.
A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather.
Be alert for people trying to trick you.
Whether it's your email, phone, messenger, or other applications, always be alert and on guard for someone trying to trick you into clicking on links or replying to messages. Remember that it's easy to spoof phone numbers, so a familiar name or number doesn't make messages more trustworthy.
Back up your data.
Back up your data frequently and check that your backup data can be restored. You can do this manually on an external HDD/USB stick, or automatically using backup software. This is also the best way to counter ransomware. Never connect the backup drive to a computer if you suspect that the computer is infected with malware.
Choose strong passwords.
Use strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid using personal information or easily guessable words in your passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts whenever possible.
Be careful where you click.
Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. These could potentially contain malware or phishing scams.
Don't use pirated software.
Avoid using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing programs, keygens, cracks, and other pirated software that can often compromise your data, privacy, or both.
To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it's important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.
Meet Thomas Orsolya
Thomas is an expert at uncovering scams and providing in-depth reporting on cyber threats and online fraud. As an editor, he is dedicated to keeping readers informed on the latest developments in cybersecurity and tech.
