More than 800 False "Temu" Domains Trick Customers Into Losing Their Credentials

Cybersecurity experts caution against falling for Temu phishing scams since they use phony freebies to obtain passwords. In the last three months, more than 800 new "Temu" domains have been registered.

The most recent company that con artists have used for their phishing schemes is Temu. With over 800 new domains registered as "Temu" in the last three months, cybersecurity researcher Jeremy Fuchs of Checkpoint's Harmony Email has observed that hackers are taking advantage of Temu's giveaway offers to persuade users to divulge their passwords.

Just so you know, Temu is an international e-commerce site with 40% of its users residing in the United States. It provides customers with direct shipping of discounted goods. Launched in 2022, Temu is accessible in 48 nations, encompassing Australia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

It ranks second in the Apple App Store and first in the Google Play Store for shopping apps as of February 7, 2024. The majority of app users are older folks, aged 59 and up.

The Scam

According to analysts, Temu Rewards is the source of the example phishing email. On closer inspection, though, you'll see that it was received from an unconnected onmicrosoft.com email account. The email has a link to a page that harvests credentials and a blank image. By telling recipients they have won, the threat actors hope to draw in receivers.

Phishing and Brand Names

Threat actors have previously used popular brands and current trends to their advantage to obtain sensitive data, including credentials, from unsuspecting consumers.

Cyjax researchers uncovered a sophisticated phishing campaign that was aimed at over 400 firms in a variety of industries. To spread malware and get money from advertisements, the con artists—who most likely have Chinese ties—used 42,000 domains, and at least 24,000 survey and landing pages to advertise the scheme.

Bloster AI cybersecurity experts have uncovered a USPS Delivery phishing campaign that employs sophisticated tactics to target victims in the United States. CheckPhish from Bolster found more than 3,000 phishing domains that imitated Walmart. Customers were misled by the advertising into believing they had failed delivery and unpaid bills. Threat actors have refined their attack strategies, moving from misleading messaging to enticing victims to download apps that steal banking or financial data.

In January 2024, it was found that business owners of Meta Platforms, Inc. were the target of a phishing scam that attempted to obtain their email addresses and passwords to gain control of their Facebook page, profile, and financial information. The hoax created a sense of urgency and authenticity by leveraging Meta Platforms' authority.

Cybersecurity and Temu

Temu has experienced several cybersecurity-related problems, including claims that it was gathering data from users and devices, including SMS messages and bank account details.

A class-action lawsuit was launched in November 2023 in the United States, claiming that the corporation had obtained its customers' data illegally. Moreover, an additional revelation emerged that implicated Temu in the unapproved release of customer information, specifically concerning data that allegedly surfaced for sale on the dark web following transactions made by users of the app.