Avoid getting scammed by fake sites offering Valorant gifts

What kind of scam is "Valorant Gift"?

After examining a website offering gifts for the Valorant video game, we determined that it is fake. The scam states that users can claim one thousand Radianite points for free. This fake giveaway operates as a phishing scam and targets Valorant account log-in credentials.

It must be stressed that this scam does not give out rewards or gifts, and it is not associated with Valorant or its developer – Riot Games. Keep in mind that this scheme could be hosted on other domains, aside from valorant-collect[.]com.

"Valorant Gift" scam overview

The fake "Valorant Gift" site – valorant-collect[.]com (could be hosted elsewhere) – includes a variety of graphical content associated with the Valorant first-person shooter video game. Despite how legitimate it may appear, this giveaway is a scam, and it is not linked to either Valorant or its developer – Riot Games, Inc.

The scheme states that users can claim 1000 Radianite points, one of the in-game currencies of Valorant. This bogus giveaway is supposedly held by past employees of Riot Games, who had been unfairly laid off (fired).

When a user attempts to get the promised gift, they are prompted to enter their Valorant account log-in credentials to the phishing page. The provided usernames/passwords are recorded and sent to scammers. This can facilitate the theft of the exposed accounts.

Video game accounts often contain personally identifiable and finance-related information (e.g., names/surnames, credit/debit card numbers, etc.). Hence, not only can victims of scams like "Valorant Gift" lose their accounts, but they can also experience serious privacy issues and financial losses.

If you have already provided your log-in credentials to a phishing site – change the passwords of all potentially exposed accounts and inform their official support without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Valorant Gift" scam website
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Users can get 1000 Radianite points for free (one of Valorant in-game currencies).
Disguise	Giveaway held by former employees of Riot Games.
Related Domains	valorant-collect[.]com, valorant-award[.]com
Detection Names (valorant-collect[.]com)	Cluster25 (Phishing), Emsisoft (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), Kaspersky (Phishing), Netcraft (Malicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (valorant-collect[.]com)	104.21.34.146
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss.
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

We have investigated thousands of online scams; "Fortnite V-Bucks Generator", "Grand Theft Auto (GTA) VI Crypto Giveaway", and "Robux Generator" are just a couple examples of schemes that use gaming-themed lures.

The purpose of scams is to deceive users into performing specific actions, e.g., providing log-in credentials, disclosing private information, sending money to scammers, buying products, subscribing to services, calling fake helplines, etc. The mechanisms by which cyber criminals generate revenue can vary drastically, but the end goal is the same throughout – profit.

Due to how widespread deceptive and malicious content is on the Web and how well-made it can be – we highly recommend exercising caution while browsing.

How did I open a scam website?

Online scams are most commonly promoted via websites using rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads (malvertising), spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, PMs/DMs, social media/ forum posts, browser notifications, etc.), typosquatting (mistyped URLs), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Vigilance while browsing is key to avoiding visiting deceptive/malicious webpages. Therefore, pay attention to URLs and enter them carefully. Do not permit suspicious pages to deliver browser notifications, and instead ignore or deny such requests (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Be selective when clicking advertisements, and do not trust offers that sound too good to be true. Do not use sites offering pirated programs/media or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages are usually monetized via rogue advertising networks.

Treat incoming emails and other messages with caution; do not open attachments/links found in dubious mail. Download only from official/verified sources and treat installations with care (e.g., read terms, explore options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, tools, etc.) – to prevent bundled/dangerous software from infiltrating the system.

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

The appearance of "Valorant Gift" scam (GIF):

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 "Valorant Gift" scam website?
• 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 an online scam?

Simply put, online scams are deceptive messages intended to trick users into performing certain actions. For example, victims can be lured into disclosing sensitive information, making monetary transactions, purchasing products, subscribing to services, downloading/installing software, calling fake helplines, allowing scammers to access devices remotely, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals primarily profit by obtaining funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., websites, software, products, services, etc.), abusing/selling private information, and distributing malware.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by an online scam, what should I do?

If you have provided your log-in credentials – change the passwords of all potentially compromised accounts and inform their official support. And if you've disclosed other private data (e.g., ID card details, passport photos/scans, credit card numbers, etc.) – contact the appropriate authorities without delay.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Common promotional techniques include: spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, DMs/PMs, social media posts, browser notifications, etc.), sites using rogue advertising networks, typosquatting (misspelled URLs), malvertising (intrusive adverts), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning visited websites for rogue, deceptive/scam, and malicious content. Hence, should you enter a page hosting such – you will be immediately warned, and further access to it will be denied.

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