(ECNS) -- The team behind China's popular messaging app WeChat will crack down on third parties that increasingly use the app's red envelope function as a means of marketing, Beijing Times reports.
Red envelopes are gifts presented at social and family gatherings such as weddings, or holidays such as Spring Festival, China's Lunar New Year. The Tencent app allows users to deliver virtual money and withdraw cash easily, creating a popular digital version of money giving.
With Spring Festival approaching, a variety of games that are actually marketing campaigns are on the rise, and can expose users to malicious attacks by third parties, the report said.
Some businesses are trying to attract more fans using red envelopes as bait. Users are normally required to become a follower of a WeChat public account prior to getting an envelope, which usually turns out to hold only a minimal amount.
Some WeChat accounts are also suspected of collecting a private user details and stealing their accounts, it was added.
According to the WeChat team, such marketing tactics may generate potential security risks and affect user experience.
WeChat plans to warn, block, or even cancel links to some third-party platforms to protect users from fake red envelopes and fraud. They may also take legal action against unauthorized behavior.
