Instagram users are being targeted by bots in fake Shein gift card competitions

Cybercriminals use fake Shein gift cards to trick victims into giving their bank details online.

A new scam has taken Instagram by storm this month, with people all over the world targeting the money-grabbing ploy.

virus detector, Avastclaims that the scam usually starts with a simple comment, congratulating users on winning a gift card from a fashion retailer.

To claim this, victims are encouraged to click on the link on a scammer’s page, where they may be pressed for time to complete a short survey.

In one example, users had only two minutes to answer questions like “do you agree with the prices of products in SHEIN?” and “How will you use the SHEIN Gift Card?”.

Criminals are now using fake Shein gift cards to trick victims into providing bank details

Virus detector, Avast, claims that the deception often starts with a simple congratulations

Regardless of your answers, it is clear that victims will always proceed to the next stage, where they will be presented with a screen of wrapped gifts.

The site then gives users three chances to click on a prize-winning box.

Avast claims that the first one will always be empty, making the whole plot even more realistic.

It is clear that the Shein reward will always be given after the second click on the box, with the scam site claiming prizes ranging from £25 to £2,000.

But the scammers often claim that they need an address and postage to send this gift card within a few days.

This is the point where users are encouraged to hand over their personal information, including a name, phone number, email and bank details.

As a result, Avast claims that victims unknowingly sign up for a subscription fee instead of a single shipping fee.

In many countries the amount charged is not disclosed, but for France it is €2, followed by €33 every two weeks – equivalent to £1.80 and £29.

Amid the scam, social media has been flooded with comments as some users claim they are bombarded with gift card offers every day.

One person tweeted, “I won about 14,000 Shein gift cards on Instagram this morning and the spam accounts are tagging you in every single one of them.”

Another joked, “Why won’t my landlord let me pay my rent in SHEIN gift cards I won on Instagram,” while one person also commented, “The number of SHEIN gift cards I’ve won on Instagram is unbelievable.”

Users may be pressed for time to complete a short survey before the ‘gift card’ is finally handed over. Then the site gives users three chances to click on a prize-winning box. Avast claims that the first one will always be empty, making the whole plot more realistic

The gift card scam is not the first to target Shein buyers, with other schemes also hooking victims with giveaways.

Last year, Shein said, “We are aware of a scam claiming to provide a credit card number for free SHEIN items. This is fake and is NOT endorsed by our company in ANY WAY. Be careful when working online!’

A few months later, they tweeted again, “We have been made aware of recent email scams falsely claiming to come from our company, and we can verify that these are not official SHEIN communications. Please feel free to contact us at any time through our customer service channels regarding SHEIN offer official emails…”

MailOnline has reached out to Shein for comment.

To protect yourself from scams, Instagram recommends that users pay attention to some important signs.

It is clear that the Shein reward will always be given after the second click on the box, with the scam site claiming prizes ranging from £25 to £2,000. Once the payment details are entered, victims unknowingly sign a subscription instead of a single postage payment

Red flags are often someone asking for money, offering to send money, gift cards, or anything else.

Unverified accounts that appear to represent major brands or public figures are also considered untrustworthy, alongside anyone asking for a fee to apply.

All fraudulent requests may also be written with poor spelling and grammar, possibly from an account new to the platform.

Instagram said, “If you see something that you think is a scam, don’t respond and report the scam to Instagram.”

Please note that your report is anonymous, unless you are reporting an intellectual property infringement. The account you reported won’t see who reported them.”

Avast also added: “If you get information from an Instagram account (or other social networks), look for signs that the account is original and authentic.

“There are plenty of copycats and fraudulent accounts out there, but if you look closely, you can almost always see signs that they’re real.”

MailOnline has approached Instagram for comment.