Scammers push Temu referral codes via fake celebrity TikTok videos for cash rewards

Scammers will stop at nothing to make money and exploit the latest trends on social media and shopping. Their latest schemes to make a quick buck involve spreading fake celebrity photos or video links via TikTok to get cash rewards on Chinese shopping platform Temu.

How the scam works

BleepingComputer says that scammers are exploiting Temu’s referral program (generating links users can share on social media or with friends and family) to earn store credit and other rewards by creating fake videos on TikTok that “imply sensitive photos and videos of celebrities have been leaked.”

                                               Source: BleepingComputer

To view the allegedly leaked content, users are urged to download the Temu app and enter the referral number specified in the video. The Temu referral scams seen by BleepingComputer often mention musicians and actors, and they include a photo of the celebrity.

“Almost all of the videos have captions like, ‘I thought she was innocent’ or ‘[celebrity_name] got leaked,’ and show suggestive photos or captions with prompts to download Temu and enter the listed referral number,” BleepingComputer explained.

While the analyzed videos were only used to generate store credit for the digital miscreants, this doesn’t mean that threat actors won’t use similar tactics to spread malware or conduct more profitable schemes.

Social media and TikTok users should watch out for similar ruses, and avoid clicking on links or following any steps mentioned in a video they see online.

Common sense can help prevent you from falling victim to less damaging scams (such as this one) and financially damaging ones that also put your identity at risk.

Stick to good cyber hygiene whenever you’re online and don’t believe everything you hear or see on the internet.

Need help safeguarding your data and money against cybercrooks and fraudsters? Opt for Bitdefender security, privacy and identity protection solutions for peace of mind when scouring the web or when dealing with unfamiliar situations in the digital world.