Temu warning issued as 'free money' referral scheme runs riot on social media (2024)

If you've been scrolling on Instagram or Twitter over the past few days, you've probably noticed an influx of people begging you to click a mysterious link to supposedly earn 'free money' for doing so.

While it looks like the work of a hacker, thousands of people are currently taking part in a giveaway by the shopping app Temu, an e-commerce platform that sells ultra-cheap products across the globe.

The app promises that by downloading and sharing your sign-up code with others, you can both earn up to £50 in your PayPal account. However, consumer experts at Which? have urged people to be wary of how the app is using your data.

Some shoppers posting on social media have claimed they have made 'thousands' simply by sharing their unique sign-up link and encouraging others to accept their invitation.

However, many others have taken a much more skeptical view, saying that if something sounds too good to be true then it probably is. One person posted: "This temu stuff feels like the biggest scam ever im sorry. give it a few weeks before everyone is freaking out bcus they’ve wiped your banks/paypals clean."

Another added: "I’ve never seen a more obvious scam in my life than this Temu stuff," while someone else chimed in: "You all might want to get clearscore protect plus because that Temu scam is gonna eat you alive in the coming weeks."

Temu has previously been accused of using malware and spyware in its app, according to a report by Grizzly Research.

According to The Times, its parent company, Pinduoduo, was also removed from the Google Play store after being found to contain malware, with the US government warning of data risks.

However, there has been no clear evidence that Temu has been involved in scam behaviour, nor that it has sold customers' data. A Temu spokesperson confirmed it had joined the Anti-Phishing Working Grou, follows the PCI-DSS security standards for encrypting payment transactions and has a DEKRA certification for MASA compliance.

A spokesperson also Temu also confirmed that Google stated it had removed the Pinduoduo app - alongside apps including Tencent and Kuaishou - because it had violated Google's policy. The apps have not been relisted.

The scheme promises a cash reward for getting others to sign up for Temu, using your unique code. The money is then deposited into the shopper's PayPal account.

But people have been warned that signing up to this scheme means you agree for your personal data to be used in accordance with Temu's Privacy Policy, which is often just skimmed over or, in most cases, not read at all.

The rules for the giveaway state: "A member must provide and verify their PayPal account and, in some cases, their mobile phone number to receive cash. A member must sign in to their PayPal account that is in the same country/region in which the member is located in order to withdraw cash rewards."

It continues: "Each member acknowledges that they have read and accepted the sponsor's privacy policy. Sponsor and its service providers may contact members about their participation in the program." If this is ringing alarm bells for you, it's worth giving this giveaway a miss.

Experts at Which? have warned that unless you closely analyse the fine print of any privacy policy, it's very difficult to know exactly what will be done with your data when you hand it over to apps and websites like this.

They have recommended following a few simple steps in order to get a better handle on your data when using Temu or any other shopping app:

• Be aware of the permissions it’s requesting. Apps need access to certain aspects to work, but sometimes they go too far. Check what permissions an app wants before you download it and deny access in your phone settings if you like.
• Some data collection is optional during setup, and that means you can opt out. Only share what you’re comfortable with.
• Read the privacy policy - especially the data collection sections. You have the right to object to a company processing your data.

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