Misleading TikTok posts are going viral and driving backlash against brands. They're part of a gift card scheme.
Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
- A TikTok video accusing Sephora of firing an employee for participating in ICE protests went viral.
- An internal investigation by Sephora found that the person hadn't worked there.
- It appears to be a part of a scheme that uses social media to promote gift cards and collect data.
Sephora faced backlash over a firing that may have never happened.
A TikTok account under the name Isla Makeup posted a video on January 18, accusing Sephora of firing her for attending a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement protest in Minnesota. Over a week later, the video had attracted more than 7.8 million views and thousands of comments.
"I just got fired from Sephora after 10 years working at the Minnesota store," the long caption read. "The moment my manager found out I went to an ICE protest downtown, everything collapsed."
The video's claims may have been fabricated. Sephora said it conducted an internal review and determined that there was no current or former employee by that name. The account that posted the video did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
The caption's call to action, meanwhile, isn't a boycott but an opportunity to earn $750 in Sephora gift cards for leaving online reviews.
A cybersecurity researcher told Business Insider that it follows the same pattern as some other marketing tactics that have used social media to gather personal data from users.
The posts typically direct users to a website that collects personal information, such as a user's full name, phone number, email address, and home address, in exchange for a gift card, John Wilson, a senior fellow in threat research at Fortra, told Business Insider.
In order to receive the payout, the sites may also require you to upload photos of your driver's license or another ID. Some may ask you to complete tasks that could cost more than the promised reward in time, information, and money, Wilson said.
I filled out the survey with fake information to see what would happen. I was asked for more personal information than I was comfortable providing, including details such as whether I was a homeowner. At the end, I was asked to pay $20 for various services to receive the $750 gift card.
"All of this information will be shared with a wide variety of third-party marketers," Wilson said. "You will absolutely be bombarded with texts, calls, and emails from the moment you sign up until the end of time."
@isla.neville I just got fired from Sephora after 10 years working at the Minnesota store. I had my work permit, paid my taxes, did everything right. I followed every rule. None of that mattered. The moment my manager found out I went to an ICE protest downtown, everything collapsed. Someone at work must have snitched, because the very next day I was called into the office. No warning. No discussion. Just “company policy.” By the end of my shift, my badge didn’t scan anymore. That’s Sephora for you. Smile for the cameras, punish anyone who speaks up. A few days later, ICE showed up at my house. I told them I had valid documents, that I’d been working legally in Minnesota for years. They didn’t care. They said there were “issues” and that they had to take me in. One week I was helping customers and organizing inventory. The next, I was being put on a plane out of the country. Fired and deported. Inside Sephora, workers get written up for bathroom breaks. Promotions go to favorites who stay quiet and never question anything. Those big “sales” everyone loves? Half the time they’re fake. Prices quietly go up before the sale so the discount looks bigger later. Exploitation, but with better marketing. My manager called my firing “policy.” ICE called it “procedure.” But it was really punishment for speaking up and refusing to stay silent. Here’s what nobody wants to admit: Sephora will always protect its image before protecting its workers. Always. Especially immigrants. You can do everything right and still be disposable the second you become inconvenient. And since I have nothing left to lose, here’s something they really don’t like people sharing: GiftSeph.com, You can get up to $750 in Sephora gift cards just for leaving reviews. Tons of employees secretly used it while corporate pretended it didn’t exist. 10 years of work in Minnesota. Overtime. Skipped breaks. Covering shifts. Helping coworkers. All erased because I stood up for what’s right. It’s terrifying how fast your whole life can disappear when you tell the truth. Comment “Sephora tea” and I’ll DM you the rest. #sephora #storytime #2016 #ice #fyp
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Though it appears to be a marketing tactic, Sephora still faced backlash from the post. The top comment — with 70,000 likes — asked if it's time to start boycotting the beauty giant. Many commenters agreed about canceling Sephora over the alleged firing. The same video was also posted by an account with an identical profile picture under the name Sarah Wilson, but received significantly less attention.
Sephora wasn't the only brand caught in the crossfire. Another video posted about a week ago claimed that an Ulta employee found ICE agents waiting outside the beauty retailer after a shift. The user accused Ulta of trying to "destroy" their life over unpaid wages and exposed alleged company secrets. One of which was the opportunity to get a $750 Ulta gift card through a website.
@allisonwilliams09 So I got fired from Ulta 4 days ago, and that’s not even the worst part. After working a 10 hour shift on my feet, I walked out to the parking lot to find ICE agents waiting behind my car. My manager had called them because I finally stood up for myself and demanded the unpaid overtime they’d been “glitching” out of my paycheck for months. So they tried to have me deported just so they wouldn’t have to pay me what I earned…little did he realize I’m legal. That’s when I realized the “everyone is beautiful” vibe is a total lie. It’s a multi billion dollar company built on exploitation. So since Ulta tried to destroy my life to save a few bucks, I’m done keeping quiet. Here’s everything I wish customers actually knew about Ulta: 1. NEVER use the makeup testers. They stay on the floor for months at a time before they get switched and are crawling with bacteria, mold, and germs. I’ve seen customers with cold sores double dip into the lipglosses… if you value your skin, stay away! 2. We are trained to tell customers we’re “out of stock” on samples unless they’re spending a certain amount of money. In reality, the drawers are overflowing with them. 3. Oh, and here’s the part Ulta really doesn’t want you knowing: You can actually get a $750 Ulta gift card through the Ulta Method at ulthauls.com. I used it to buy makeup, skincare, hair products, tools — full bags every time. Like… every. single. shift. 4. We were trained to wipe down the lightly used or “barely touched” returns and put them back on the shelf if the packaging looked okay. You could be paying $60 for a foundation that someone already tried in their bathroom… Ulta didn’t just fire me, they tried to take my freedom to protect their “labor costs.” So I’m done keeping quiet. Comment “Ulta” and I’ll make part 2 where I’m exposing what my manager would make us push on old customers…it might get taken down but I don’t care anymore. #ulta #ultahaul #storytime #fyp
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Ulta told Business Insider the video was "inauthentic and part of a broader trend of fake accounts on TikTok that overlay alarming text onto unrelated videos to create a false narrative and then drive people to a gift card/promotional offer."
None of the users behind these videos responded to a request for comment from Business Insider.
It seems the old rule of thumb applies to videos like these that urge people to enter their personal information for a big prize.
"A quick Google search reveals many people reporting scams tied to similar programs," Wilson said. "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is."