A fine print expert took to TikTok to warn that the viral Sephora gift card hack is a scam, and he says that the users advertising the gift cards are also using stolen personal information.
Sean’s (@seansvv) video has garnered 1.4 million views and over 125,000 likes at the time of publication, with an on-screen caption urging viewers to “don’t be fooled.”
Sean begins the video by explaining that a “new scam” is currently going viral on TikTok, adding that “thousands of people are falling for it.”
First, using the green screen feature, Sean adds a screenshot of a TikTok post from a user whose account (@emma__rosey) is currently not found.
Sean said that @emma__rosey is not using the user’s real name, but a stolen identity. According to Sean, the real person whose identity @emma__rosey stole is a user named Sequoia Cathron (@sequoiacathron). He added another screenshot of Cathron’s profile to the video.
What is a “scam”?
Sean then said that the video posted by @emma__rosey is a slideshow “to scare people and make up a story about her being fired from Sephora.” At the end of the slideshow, he said, viewers are prompted to visit a site offering a chance to win a $750 Sephora gift card.
Sean added a photo of the website he said viewers would be directed to, pointing out the “Subscribe Now” button feature at the bottom.
“It looks like an official page, but when you click “apply now” it redirects you to a very shady website,” he says. Sean added another photo of the website that people are redirected to after clicking “apply now.” “This looks familiar,” he says. “This is a company I’ve been targeting for years.”
The company Sean is referring to is RewardZone USA, LLC. Sean says the company is “using legal loopholes to legally obtain your information and exploit it to make money while leaving you with nothing.” He says this is possible because “the US does not have comprehensive data privacy or security.”
Simply put, Sean thinks no one notices this loophole because “nobody reads privacy policies.”
“Luckily for you, I did that for you,” he says. Sean says the privacy policy lists all the data the company can collect from you and “sell or broker it for profit.”
“It’s literally, ‘How do we share or sell your information?'” Shones said, reading from what appeared to be a screenshot of RewardZone’s privacy and cookie policy. “This includes your health and wellness information, financial information, Medicare information, and in some cases biometric data.” Shones said the company will also be able to sell users’ browsing information and search history.
“This is why I’m so passionate about protecting young children on the internet,” says Sean, who says not reading the fine print of privacy policies is the easiest way for children to be exploited online.
Before ending the video, Sean asks viewers to “stay away from these videos.”
“I was wondering why so many Sephora employees are being fired,” a viewer wrote in the comments section of Sean’s video. “Father! I thought this was too suspicious,” Sean replied.
Follow Stay safe #EduToku #news #update #Sephora #Conditions are conditions #Fine print #terms of service #privacy policy ♬ Original Sound – SEAN
How can I avoid scams?
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) “The main goal of most scams and scammers is to steal your money and personal information.”
The agency suggests some tips for internet users to be on the lookout for online scammers: “Be wary of links and new website addresses,” the agency said. “Malicious website addresses can look almost identical to legitimate sites; scammers often use slight variations in spelling or logos to lure users in. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has been unknowingly compromised.”
Sephora The company also has a “Gift Card Scam Warning” section on its website. To avoid falling victim to the scam, the site advises users to be aware that “Government agencies and other businesses do not accept gift cards as payment for bills, bail bonds, or debt collections. Be careful of your caller ID, as scammers often manipulate caller IDs to make it appear as if they are calling from a legitimate business or government agency.”
Finally, the company suggests customers “report any suspicious activity to local authorities.”
The Daily Dot has reached out via email to Sean, Sephora and RewardZone USA for comment.
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*First published: May 23, 2024 at 9pm CST
Grace Fowler
Grace Fowler is a Summer Press and Media Fellow at The Daily Dot. She is a recent graduate from Texas State University, where she studied Mass Communications.
