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New York, NY--Caught up in a clever scam that has taken TikTok by storm, unsuspecting customers were duped by creators purporting to get revenge on a jewelry brand by offering discount codes for allegedly premium jewelry.

[Screenshot image of TikTok via Insider]

According to a report published on Insider, the supposed jewelry brand 'Trugala' was accused of unjust termination by a young woman, Stacey Wilson, who invited her followers to avail of the jewelry at no cost. The underlying catch - the 'premium' jewelry was cheap imitations, and the heart-wrenching story was an elaborate hoax. Wilson was, in fact, never employed by Trugala.

The report noted that Wilson, a freelance creator hired via Upwork, explained that her role was to film the video for $30. She confessed to Insider that the scam tarnished her reputation and affected her mental health.

Customers, lured in by the narrative, used Wilson's discount code only to be sorely disappointed when they received costume jewelry of negligible value. The ensuing backlash was aimed at both Trugala and the unsuspecting Wilson.

The report added that the scam's duplicity extended to the use of Wilson's video. Her face became synonymous with the scam as the video was watched hundreds of times on TikTok via proxy accounts.

In her chat with Insider, Wilson expressed her shock at the exploitation of her image and the virality of the scam, pleasing those responsible for ceasing their activities. Investigations linked this deceptive operation to two Long Island, New York entrepreneurs. By using discount codes obtained from the associated TikToks, customers could purchase items from multiple similar sites for a hefty shipping fee alone.

TikToker Myra Solana fell for the scam, only realizing it after failing to receive a receipt or confirmation. She hastily canceled her credit card, fearing data theft, subsequently warning others about the scam.

Learn more in the entire Insider report.