(BBB Connecticut)
It seemed like an easy way to make some extra cash, but a Connecticut woman discovered an ad posted on Instagram to rate clothing from major brands online was not only a waste of time but money. The first red flag was the requirement that she pay a start-up fee to join. The consumer who reported the scam on BBB's Scam Tracker says her virtual account was immediately credited as an incentive and that the fake company, FashionElite, offered to double her earnings four times a day so that she could earn money more quickly. The catch? She couldn't make any withdrawals until she earned $3,000. Once she did, she says the money was never transferred to her Venmo account as promised.
"I always had my suspicion of this platform, but due to hard times thought it was worth it to find a way to make extra money," Tanya from Shelton explained. "It was not only frustrating to lose money, but more importantly, a lot of time I cannot get back."
Although victims say the site promised they could make up to $3,000 per day, they report that the closer they got, the daily earning cap was reduced to make it take longer to reach that goal. In fact, Tanya says it took her two months to earn $3,000. During that time, she said the platform encouraged her to subscribe to other channels, each with a cost. Tanya says that after the initial $25 she paid to get started, she spent an additional $40 for access to a video site.
Others have reported similar experiences, complaining that they were required to input their personal and payment information to get started. Once they paid, they say they were repeatedly charged. Some also complained that their personal information was sold to third parties. The scammers posed as companies named Fashion Connect and EliteStyle, according reports filed to BBB's Scam Tracker.
Consumers said digital platforms like Hotmart and Connect Moda (aka: conectamoda) were used to dupe people into thinking they were rating clothing for Shein. According to the company's website, Shein does not pay users for reviews. Instead, reviewers can win free clothing as part of the company's "Free Trial Program."
If you've been targeted by this scam we urge you to report it to BBB's Scam Tracker at BBB.org/scamtracker.
Tips to avoid this scam
- Never pay an upfront fee: a reputable employer will never charge an employee to make money.
- Watch out for too-good-to-be-true job postings: any job that offers extremely good pay rates for a position that requires no special skills is likely a scam.
- Guard your personal information: be cautious of any job that asks you to share personal information right off the bat.
- Research the Rewards: Contact the company to see if they have their own rewards program for customer reviews before working with a third party.
- Dispute Unauthorized Charges: Contact your credit card company immediately and cancel your card.
Read for more tips: "Get a good side hustle without being scammed."
