How to spot scam pages like "Walmart Gift Card" scam

What is "Walmart Gift Card" pop-up scam?

While examining shady ads and websites, we discovered a scam website offering to get a Walmart gift card. Usually, scam websites like this one are used to extract personal information and (or) money. It is strongly recommended not to trust such pages.

"Walmart Gift Card" scam website in detail

This scam website shows a pop-up message stating that visitors have a unique opportunity to get a $1000 Walmart gift card this Black Friday. After clicking the "Get Started" button, this scam page instructs visitors to choose the right gift box.

Once the "right" box is chosen, another message appears. It says that a $1000 Walmart gift card is reserved. Eventually, visitors are asked to enter their email addresses and complete the ID verification. The purpose of this scam website is to trick visitors into providing personal information.

Usually, scams of this kind are used to obtain credit card details, names, surnames, addresses, and )(or) other details. Also, scammers use these scam pages to trick visitors into paying "administration", "shipping", or other fees.

Threat Summary:

Name	Walmart Gift Card scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Visitors have a chance to win $1000 Walmart gift card
Related Domain	everydayrewards[.]net, consumers-connect[.]net, luckybeing[.]me
Detection Names (everydayrewards[.]net)	N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	91.224.59.27
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.

Possible dangers

Providing information on scam websites of this kind can lead to identity theft, monetary loss, unauthorized transactions and purchases, and other issues. Also, scammers can sell obtained information to third parties. Either way, users never receive any prizes. Examples of similar scams are "T-Mobile Customer Reward Program", "AMAZON TRIAL", and "Win SAMSUNG GALAXY S22".

How did I open a scam website

Websites running pop-up scams usually get opened via pages like onesoftwareupdater[.]com and other shady pages. Also, they get opened via websites that use rogue advertising networks (e.g., illegal movie streaming sites, torrent sites), notifications from untrustworthy websites, and advertising-supported apps.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Avoid clicking suspicious links or ads on dubious pages. Do not allow untrustworthy websites to show notifications. Download applications from legitimate websites and stores. Remove suspicious apps and avoid downloads from shady pages, third-party downloaders, P2p networks, etc.

Keep the operating system and installed programs updated. Use reputed antivirus software for computer protection. If your computer is already infected with unwanted apps, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

The appearance of "Walmart Gift Card" pop-up scam (GIF):

Text presented in "Walmart Gift Card" pop-up message:

Congratulations!
We would like to thank you for your loyalty, therefore we offer you a unique opportunity to get* a $1000 Walmart Gift Card this Black Friday!

Get started by choosing the right giftbox.

You have 3 attempts, good luck!

Text in the background:

$1000 Walmart Gift Card

Congratulations!
We would like to thank you for your loyalty and offer you a chance to get* a $1000 Walmart Gift Card this Black Friday!

↓
Find $1000 Walmart Gift Card
Choose the right gift box

Second pop-up:

Congratulations!
$1000 Walmart Gift Card is reserved for you!

***RULES***
1. You will be redirected to our website to know the details.
2. Confirm your information to begin.

Another example of "Walmart Gift Card" pop-up scam:

Another example of "Walmart Gift Card" pop-up scam:

Text presented within:

Congratulations!

Play the spin game to see which gift box that you'll receive!
Time left: 0 minutes and 00 seconds

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 Walmart Gift Card scam?
• 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?

It is a fake (deceptive) message (e.g., virus alert or error warning) displayed by an untrustworthy website designed to trick visitors into performing certain actions.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Scammers use pop-up scams to extract money or sensitive information (e.g., credit card details, passwords, ID card information, social security numbers), distribute malware, obtain remote access to computers, and for other malicious purposes.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

In most cases, websites showing fake pop-up messages get opened via untrustworthy advertisements, websites that use rogue advertising networks (e.g., illegal movie streaming pages, torrent sites), notifications from shady websites, advertising-supported apps, etc.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner scans visited pages and restricts access to untrustworthy pages (including pages designed to display fake messages).

▼ Show Discussion