Get An iPhone X For $1 POP-UP Scam

What is Get An iPhone X For $1?

The Internet is full of various scams that include "Get An iPhone X For $1" (another example is $1000 VISA Gift Card). This scam message usually appears on deceptive/untrustworthy websites that most users visit inadvertently - potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) or intrusive ads cause redirects to them.

In most cases, users install PUAs unintentionally. These applications deliver intrusive ads and collect user-system information. "Get An iPhone X For $1" might also be distributed using rogue downloaders/installers that create a desktop shortcut leading to deceptive sites.

The "Get An iPhone X For $1" scam message states that users can receive an iPhone X smartphone for just $1. To proceed, they are required to enter their email addresses and other basic information such as name, surname, address, postal code and city. They must then complete a survey. This is a scam and users receive nothing in return.

The offer to purchase an iPhone X for $1 is simply a way to trick users into giving away their details, which might include IP addresses, geo-locations, email addresses, etc. Later, the information is sold to third parties (potentially cyber criminals) who misuse it to generate revenue.

The data might also be used for other dubious purposes. For example, email addresses can be used for spam campaigns and users might start receiving malicious emails with attachments that, once opened, download and install high-risk viruses.

Potentially unwanted applications usually gather user-system information, such as IP addresses, keystrokes, search queries, geo-locations, URLs of visited websites, and so on. Some PUAs will also collect personal or sensitive data. Having these applications installed can lead to privacy/browsing safety issues and even identity theft.

Most PUAs deliver coupons, banners, surveys, pop-ups, and other intrusive advertisements. These are often displayed using tools that enable placement of third party graphical content on any site, thus concealing underlying content of visited websites.

These ads diminish the browsing experience and, once clicked, redirect users to untrustworthy sites and execute scripts that download and install other PUAs or even malware. We strongly recommend that you uninstall all PUAs immediately.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Get An iPhone X For " virus
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Symptoms	Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of one's computer.
Distribution methods	Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft.
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Most potentially unwanted applications are similar or identical. Developers promote them as 'useful applications' by offering useful tools or features, however, these are merely attempts to give the impression of legitimacy. PUAs are designed only to generate revenue for their developers, rather than providing the functionality promised.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Potentially unwanted applications can be downloaded from their official websites, however, most users install them inadvertently. Developers often use the so-called "bundling" method to trick users into installing PUAs together within regular third party software.

They avoid disclosing information regarding bundled apps properly, by hiding PUAs in "Advanced", "Custom" and other similar settings or options of the installation processes. Furthermore, many users skip installation steps without studying them and click intrusive advertisements. This careless behaviour often leads to inadvertent installations and risks computer infections.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

To avoid PUA installations, download software from official, trustworthy websites and using direct links. Do not use third party software downloaders/installers, or torrent clients to download software. Check "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar options or settings of the installation dialogs.

Opt-out of installation of additional software (such as PUAs), and only then finish the installation (or proceed to the next step). Bear in mind that the Internet is full of intrusive advertisements, most of which seem legitimate, however, some might redirect you to untrustworthy websites (gambling, pornography, adult dating, etc.).

If you encounter advertisements of this type, check the list of installed extensions (or add-ons and plug-ins) on your browser and uninstall any unknown, suspicious or unwanted entries immediately. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Screenshot of third party installer that creates a desktop shortcut:

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is "Get An iPhone X For " virus?
• How to identify a pop-up scam?
• How do pop-up scams work?
• How to remove fake pop-ups?
• How to prevent fake pop-ups?
• What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

How to identify a pop-up scam?

Pop-up windows with various fake messages are a common type of lures cybercriminals use. They collect sensitive personal data, trick Internet users into calling fake tech support numbers, subscribe to useless online services, invest in shady cryptocurrency schemes, etc.

While in the majority of cases these pop-ups don't infect users' devices with malware, they can cause direct monetary loss or could result in identity theft.

Cybercriminals strive to create their rogue pop-up windows to look trustworthy, however, scams typically have the following characteristics:

• Spelling mistakes and non-professional images - Closely inspect the information displayed in a pop-up. Spelling mistakes and unprofessional images could be a sign of a scam.
• Sense of urgency - Countdown timer with a couple of minutes on it, asking you to enter your personal information or subscribe to some online service.
• Statements that you won something - If you haven't participated in a lottery, online competition, etc., and you see a pop-up window stating that you won.
• Computer or mobile device scan - A pop-up window that scans your device and informs of detected issues - is undoubtedly a scam; webpages cannot perform such actions.
• Exclusivity - Pop-up windows stating that only you are given secret access to a financial scheme that can quickly make you rich.

Example of a pop-up scam:

How do pop-up scams work?

Cybercriminals and deceptive marketers usually use various advertising networks, search engine poisoning techniques, and shady websites to generate traffic to their pop-ups. Users land on their online lures after clicking on fake download buttons, using a torrent website, or simply clicking on an Internet search engine result.

Based on users' location and device information, they are presented with a scam pop-up. Lures presented in such pop-ups range from get-rich-quick schemes to fake virus scans.

How to remove fake pop-ups?

In most cases, pop-up scams do not infect users' devices with malware. If you encountered a scam pop-up, simply closing it should be enough. In some cases scam, pop-ups may be hard to close; in such cases - close your Internet browser and restart it.

In extremely rare cases, you might need to reset your Internet browser. For this, use our instructions explaining how to reset Internet browser settings.

How to prevent fake pop-ups?

To prevent seeing pop-up scams, you should visit only reputable websites. Torrent, Crack, free online movie streaming, YouTube video download, and other websites of similar reputation commonly redirect Internet users to pop-up scams.

To minimize the risk of encountering pop-up scams, you should keep your Internet browsers up-to-date and use reputable anti-malware application. For this purpose, we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.

What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

This depends on the type of scam that you fell for. Most commonly, pop-up scams try to trick users into sending money, giving away personal information, or giving access to one's device.

• If you sent money to scammers: You should contact your financial institution and explain that you were scammed. If informed promptly, there's a chance to get your money back.
• If you gave away your personal information: You should change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication in all online services that you use. Visit Federal Trade Commission to report identity theft and get personalized recovery steps.
• If you let scammers connect to your device: You should scan your computer with reputable anti-malware (we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows) - cyber criminals could have planted trojans, keyloggers, and other malware, don't use your computer until removing possible threats.
• Help other Internet users: report Internet scams to Federal Trade Commission.

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