How to identify scams like "Valorant Skin Giveaway"

What is the fake "Valorant Skin Giveaway"?

We have inspected the site (valbox[.]live) and concluded that it is a scam website promoting a fake giveaway. The purpose of this scam web page is to trick individuals into disclosing personal information. Users should avoid providing any details on dubious sites to avoid potential consequences.

"Valorant Skin Giveaway" scam in detail

This scam page offers a chance to win a free Valorant skin by participating in a supposed giveaway hosted by TENZ. It encourages users to enter the giveaway, claiming they can enhance their Valorant collection by scoring a complimentary skin. In order to proceed, users are instructed to click the "Spin Roulette" button.

Upon clicking that button, users are encouraged to sign in (enter their Riot Games account login credentials) to receive a randomly picked skin. The ultimate goal is to steal Riot Games accounts. When scammers gain access to Riot Games accounts, they can exploit them in various ways.

They may steal in-game currency, skins, or other valuable items, which can then be sold for profit. Additionally, scammers might use the account to engage in fraudulent activities, such as sending phishing links to friends or other players to steal their accounts as well. Thus, it is important to be careful when entering information on questionable websites.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake Valorant skin giveaway
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can win a Valorant Skin
Disguise	Legitimate Valorant Skin giveaway
Related Domain	valbox[.]live
Detection Names (valbox[.]live)	Emsisoft (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), Kaspersky (Phishing), Netcraft (Malicious), Webroot (Malicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Unofficial domain, lack of official verification, unrealistic claims, too good-to-be-true promises.
Distribution methods	Fraudulent posts on X (formerly Twitter), compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft.
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Conclusion

In conclusion, scams like the Valorant skin giveaway use deceptive tactics to lure individuals into revealing personal information. These scams can lead to significant losses, including compromised accounts and stolen identities. Users should verify the authenticity of offers and exercise caution when engaging with online promotions.

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers use various methods to trick individuals into opening scam sites. The scam reviewed in our article is promoted through posts on X (formerly Twitter). Users land on the scam website by clicking a link in a fraudulent post.

Also, scams can be encountered via misleading ads, fraudulent links sent via email or social media, pop-ups on shady web pages, notifications from unreliable sites, and similar channels. Adware can also be used to promote scam websites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Avoid accepting notifications from unreliable websites, and do not interact with ads, buttons, or pop-ups on sites that seem suspicious. When downloading software or files, stick to reputable sources like official websites or trusted app stores. Be skeptical about links and attachments in unexpected or irrelevant emails or messages from unknown sources.

Keep your operating system and applications up to date, and regularly scan your devices for potential threats. 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 "Valorant Skin Giveaway" pop-up scam (GIF):

Post on X promoting the scam:

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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 Fake Valorant skin giveaway?
• 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 fake giveaway?

A fake giveaway is a fraudulent promotion that promises participants prizes or rewards.

What is the purpose of a fake giveaway?

In most cases, the purpose of a fake giveaway is to deceive individuals into providing personal information or transferring money to scammers.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers employ multiple tactics to lure individuals to scam sites, including fraudulent posts social media that contain deceptive links. Users may also encounter scams through misleading advertisements, phishing links sent via email or social media accounts, pop-ups on dubious websites, unreliable site notifications, and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner can thoroughly scan all websites you visit, effectively identifying and detecting malicious sites. This includes scam websites, ensuring that users receive immediate warnings and have their access restricted to these harmful pages.

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