Avoid getting scammed by the fake "Mr Beast" giveaway

What is the fake "Mr Beast Giveaway"?

"Mr Beast Giveaway scam" refers to a scheme run on various deceptive websites. The scam is presented as a monetary prize giveaway eligible for every subscriber of the MrBeast YouTube channel - who visits the scheme-promoting webpage.

This fake giveaway requests users to download/install its sponsors' applications and provide the email used to register their PayPal online money-transferring account. Typically, such scams are used to extract payments from victims and to proliferate adware, browser hijackers, and other PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications).

In some cases, schemes of this type are also employed to spread malware (e.g., trojans, ransomware, cryptocurrency miners, etc.). It must be emphasized that the "Mr Beast Giveaway" scam is in no way associated with Jimmy Donaldson - the YouTuber known as MrBeast, his channel, or any other legitimate entity mentioned in the scheme.

Untrustworthy sites are seldom accessed intentionally; most users enter them via mistyped URLs, redirects caused by intrusive ads, or have them force-opened by installed PUAs.

"Mr Beast Giveaway" overview

The "Mr Beast Giveaway" scam states that subscribers to the MrBeast YouTube channel who visit this page are eligible to receive 1000 USD as a reward. To receive the fake prize, users are instructed to press the "CLAIM REWARD" button presented in the webpage.

This will redirect them to a download page that hosts the hoax giveaway sponsors' software products. The scheme tells users to download/install the endorsed apps and follow the steps provided on the download page.

Following installation, users are to enter their PayPal-registered email address. Once this is done, the scam promises that users will receive their monetary reward within a few minutes. As previously mentioned, scams like "Mr Beast Giveaway" aim to trick users into download/installing untrustworthy and malicious programs.

Furthermore, the bogus giveaway operates as a phishing scam targeting finance-related information. Therefore, instead of receiving the promised prize, victims are likely to experience a variety of serious problems. Trusting the "Mr Beast Giveaway" scheme can result in system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

Phishing scams/websites operate by recording information disclosed to them. The targeted information varies, as do the methods used to extract it. Commonly targeting data includes (but is not limited to): personally identifiable details, account/platform/service log-in credentials (i.e., IDs, email addresses, usernames, passwords), and finance-related information (e.g., bank account details, credit card numbers, etc.).

Since the "Mr Beast Giveaway" scheme attempts to lure users into providing their PayPal emails, it is plausible that the scammers' goal is to gain access/control over PayPal accounts. Through such unauthorized access, cyber criminals may be able to make fraudulent transactions and/or online purchases. Hence, the "Mr Beast Giveaway" scam poses a threat to users' financial security.

Schemes that use the same model as "Mr Beast Giveaway" usually promote various PUAs. These applications tend to appear legitimate and useful. However, they rarely work as advertised, and this software can have unmentioned harmful abilities.

Some PUAs can force-open misleading, deceptive, and malicious websites (e.g., ones running the "Mr Beast Giveaway" scam). Adware-types deliver intrusive advertisements by enabling their placement on any visited site and/or different interfaces.

The delivered ads are deemed dangerous. Since upon being clicked, these adverts redirect to questionable/malicious webpages, and some can stealthily download/install software. Another PUA type called browser hijacker operates by promoting fake search engines through modifications and restrictions to browser settings.

The promoted web searchers typically cannot generate search results, so they redirect to Yahoo, Bing, Google, and other legitimate search engines. What is more, most PUAs (regardless of type) can track data. Information of interest includes: browsing activity, IP addresses/ geolocations, personally identifiable details, and other sensitive data.

The collected information is monetized by being shared with and/or sold to third-parties. Therefore, the presence of unwanted apps on systems endangers device integrity and user safety. It is strongly advised to remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately upon detection.

Threat Summary:

Name	Mr Beast Giveaway pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Scam promises a monetary reward to the site's visitors.
Disguise	Scam is disguised as a reward giveaway from the MrBeast YouTube channel.
Distributed Unwanted Apps	Various dubious applications
Related Domains	1000-mbest[.]com, beastcrex[.]com, mb1kinfo[.]com, beast-fact[.]com, beast-xm[.]com, beast-gux[.]com, mrbeastgiftvoucher[.]com, beastxm[.]com, mrbeastgiftscardz[.]com, beast-vov[.]com, beastcoz[.]com, beast-goat[.]com, mrbeastoffers[.]com, beastpromos[.]live
Serving IP Address (1000-mbest[.]com)	104.21.5.196
Symptoms	Fake error messages, fake system warnings, pop-up errors, hoax computer scan.
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible malware infections.
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.

Online scams in general

"SAFEMOON Giveaway", "Verizon Reward", "Home Improvement Reward", "Ethereum Giveaway", "Mobile Survey Reward" - are some examples of fake giveaways. The Internet is rife with deceptive content, and the hoax reward giveaway is but one scam model.

Other popular scheme types are: ludicrous offers and deals, warnings that the system is infected or at risk, alerts that an essential piece of software is outdated or missing, and so forth. Due to how prevalent online scams are, it is highly recommended to exercise caution when browsing.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Select PUAs have "official" download sites that are often promoted by deceptive/scam pages. These applications can also be downloaded/installed together with other programs. "Bundling" is the name of this false marketing tactic - packing ordinary software with unwanted or malicious additions.

Rushed download/installation processes (e.g., skipped steps, etc.) increase the risk of unintentionally allowing bundled content into the device. Intrusive advertisements are employed to proliferate PUAs as well. Once clicked on, the ads can execute scripts to make downloads/installations without user permission.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is recommended to always research software before download/installation and/or purchase. Furthermore, all downloads must be performed from official and verified sources.

Untrustworthy download channels, e.g., unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, and other third-party downloaders - commonly offer hazardous and/or bundled content. When downloading/installing, it is important to read terms, study possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt-out from supplementary apps, tools, features, and so on.

Intrusive adverts appear legitimate and harmless; however, they redirect to unreliable and questionable sites (e.g., gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.). In case of encounters with ads and/or redirects of this kind, the device must be inspected and all dubious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins detected - removed from it without delay.

If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Text presented in the "Mr Beast Giveaway" scam:

$1,000

 

To every Subscriber
who visit this page!

 

Thank you for following us.
$1,000 has now been reserved for you

Step 1: Click the "CLAIM REWARD" button below

 

Step 2: Download sponsor applications on the next page and follow the instructions on the page

 

Step 3: After you download all applications, enter PayPal E-Mail on next page and recieve money in few minutes!

 

Important: Only 6 quantities available

 

CLAIM REWARD

 

Monday, May 17, 2021

 

We will stop accepting new visitors in
1600 minutes!

 

Top Comments © YouTube

 

CREATED BY

 

Mr Beast is an American YouTuber,
entrepreneur and philanthropist. He has been credited with pioneering a genre of YouTube videos on amazing stunts.

 

Total Views: Over 13+ billion
Total Subscribers: 60+ million

 

SPONSORED BY

Another example of a Mr Beast giveaway-themed scam website (beastcrex[.]com):

Update June 9, 2022 - Mr Beast giveaway-themed scam websites are being promoted using YouTube advertisements. The ads come in both image and video formats. Note that YouTube advertising network is automated and ads can be purchased by virtually anyone. This social network has nothing to do with the promoted scams.

Examples of YouTube advertisements promoting Mr Beast giveaway scam:

Another example of a website promoting Mr Beast-themed giveaway scam:

Text presented within:

$1,000

To every Subscriber
who visit this page!

Thank you for following us.
$1,000 has now been reserved for you
Step 1: Click the "CLAIM REWARD" button below

Step 2: Download sponsor applications on the next page and follow the instructions on the page

Step 3: After you download all applications, enter PayPal E-Mail on next page and recieve money in few minutes!

Thursday, October 6, 2022

We will stop accepting new visitors in
24:43 minutes!

Yet another website (beast-talk[.]com) promoting the Mr Beast Giveaway scam:

Text presented within:

1,000
($ / AUD / CAD/ £ / €)
To claim, for every visitor
who visit this page!
Thank you for following us.
$1,000 has now been reserved for you
Step 1: Click the "CLAIM REWARD" button below
Step 2: Enter and complete our Official Sponsor Tasks.
Step 3: You are required to have an online bank account in order to receive the prize (Paypal / CashApp / Venmo / Zelle / Revolut etc).
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
We will stop accepting new visitors in
23:05 minutes!

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▼ 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 Mr Beast Giveaway pop-up?
• 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams are deceptive messages promoted online, which are intended to trick users into performing specific options. For example, victims can be enticed or scared into downloading/installing and/or purchasing software, making monetary transactions, revealing private data, calling fake helplines, etc.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Scams are designed to generate revenue. Designers of pop-up scams may profit by acquiring funds through deception, earning commissions from software promotion, abusing or selling private information, spreading malware, and so forth.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are promoted on various deceptive websites. Users typically enter such pages through redirects caused by mistyped URLs, sites using rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, intrusive adverts, or installed adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning visited websites and detecting deceptive/malicious ones (including sites promoting pop-up scams). Additionally, Combo Cleaner can restrict all further access to these harmful websites.

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