Phia, a shopping startup co-founded by Bill Gates’ daughter Phoebe and Sophia Kianni, has been accused of a practice known as ‘cookie stuffing,’ where it may have taken credit for sales it didn’t generate. A Bloomberg investigation found that even when users shopped independently or through other affiliate programs, Phia would override referral codes to inject its own, potentially earning commissions on purchases intended for others.

The report has sparked controversy and led to Phia’s suspension from Impact.com, a leading affiliate platform. Other startups have faced similar accusations; notable is Honey, owned by PayPal, currently facing an ongoing class action lawsuit.

Founded in 2025 with over $40 million in funding, Phia boasts a star-studded list of investors including Khloé Kardashian and Hailey Bieber. The startup developed an app as a browser extension that helps customers find the lowest-priced items across various retailers, along with discount codes to use when shopping.

The company takes a commission on purchases made through its platform, known in the industry as affiliate marketing. However, this practice raises ethical questions about transparency and fairness in online transactions. TechCrunch reached out to Phia for comment but received no response.