‘MrBeast Free Gift Card Codes’ Scam Websites [Explained]
Written by: Stelian Pilici
Published on:
In recent years, online scams that falsely claim to offer free gift cards have become increasingly common. One such widespread scam promotes fake “MrBeast Free Gift Card Codes” giveaways. This article will provide an in-depth look at how this scam works, how to identify and avoid it, and what steps to take if you have fallen victim.
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What is the ‘MrBeast Free Gift Card Codes’ Scam?
The “MrBeast Free Gift Card Codes” scam refers to fraudulent websites that deceptively claim users can obtain free gift cards by participating in a giveaway allegedly affiliated with popular YouTuber MrBeast, known for his expensive stunts and philanthropy.
These scam pages pretend to offer free digital gift cards worth hundreds of dollars to major retailers like Xbox, Roblox, PlayStation, Google Play, Amazon, and Walmart. The pages emphasize that multiple $100 gift cards are up for grabs to entice victims.
In reality, these websites have no actual relationship with MrBeast and are not giving away any legitimate rewards. Their sole purpose is to trick users into providing personal information and performing dubious actions that benefit the scammers behind the sites.
How does the ‘MrBeast Free Gift Card Codes’ scam work?
The ‘MrBeast Free Gift Card Codes’ Scam Websites use various deceptive techniques to manipulate victims:
Using MrBeast’s brand and image without his consent: The scam pages misuse MrBeast’s name, image, and reputation to make themselves appear credible and affiliated with the YouTuber. This tricks his fans and other users into believing the giveaway is real.
Creating a false sense of urgency: The pages display timers claiming the giveaway expires soon. This rushes victims into taking action without proper consideration.
Emphasizing massive rewards: Promises of multiple $100 gift cards to popular retailers entice victims with rewards too good to be true.
Mock verification process: Scam pages take users through a fake verification requiring them to share personal information and complete dubious offers or surveys.
Grabbing personal information: Under the pretext of verification and collecting supposed “prizes,” the scammers gather usernames, passwords, email addresses, phone numbers, and other sensitive data.
Spreading malware: Some scam sites force users to download suspicious files disguised as gift card codes that infect devices with malware.
Signing up for unwanted services: Deceptive offers can trick users into signing up for unwanted paid subscriptions, services, or providing financial information.
Selling victim data: User information may be sold to other cybercriminals for identity theft, targeted scams, or other illicit money-making ventures.
In summary, the scam operates by deceiving victims into willingly giving up personal information and performing actions against their own interests, all for supposed free rewards that do not actually exist.
How to Spot and Avoid the ‘MrBeast Free Gift Card Codes’ Scam
While the scam can appear credible, there are various red flags that can help identify and avoid being victimized:
Too good to be true rewards: Legitimate giveaways do not offer extravagant prizes like multiple $100 gift cards for free. Such over-the-top offers are a clear sign of a scam.
Suspicious or misleading domain names: Scam sites often have misspelled or unrelated domain names containing the words “MrBeast,” “gift cards,” “codes,” “beast,” etc.
Poor grammar and spelling errors: Low-quality writing is a marker of scam sites created quickly and carelessly.
Fake endorsements and photos: Reviews, comments, and images on scam pages are often fabricated to appear real.
No verified account associations: MrBeast’s real accounts are verified on social media and YouTube. Scams will not be linked to any of his actual verified profiles.
Requests personal information: No legitimate giveaways demand sensitive information upfront before distributing prizes. This is done to steal data.
Countdown timers: Urgency tactics like timeouts are used to pressure victims into acting quick and recklessly.
Mandatory subscriptions and offers: Forced sign-ups for paid services, completing credit card offers, or downloading software are tricks to generate illicit revenue.
MrBeast has not endorsed any gift card giveaways: MrBeast himself has never promoted or affiliated with any gift card code giveaways. Any such claims are false.
Avoiding participation, sharing personal details, and not downloading anything from the suspicious websites in question is the best way to steer clear of this scam entirely.
What to Do If You Have Fallen Victim to the ‘MrBeast Free Gift Card Codes’ Scam
If you have been deceived by this scam, take these steps immediately to reduce damages:
Contact banks and financial institutions: If any banking or credit card information was shared, notify relevant institutions to block potential unauthorized charges.
Change passwords: Update passwords for any accounts using the same credentials entered on scam sites to prevent access by fraudsters.
Run antivirus scans: Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free to check for any malware that may have infected your devices through scam links or files. Delete anything flagged as suspicious.
Place fraud alerts: Consider placing fraud alerts with credit bureaus to be monitoring for any signs of identity theft.
Monitor financial statements closely: Keep a close eye on bank accounts and credit reports to identify any signs of fraudulent activity resulting from shared information.
Report scam websites: File complaints regarding scam websites and content to cybercrime authorities, domain registrars, and social media platforms to hopefully get them taken down.
Warn others: Bring awareness to friends and family by warning them about gift card code scams abusing MrBeast’s identity and directing them to reliable information on how to steer clear of such scams in the future.
Though the damage may already be done, acting quickly can help limit the impact of the scam and prevent further harm. In the unfortunate event any money was lost, contact the relevant financial institutions immediately to report unauthorized transactions.
Is Your Device Infected? Check for Malware
If your device is running slowly or acting suspicious, it may be infected with malware. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free is a great option for scanning your device and detecting potential malware or viruses. The free version can efficiently check for and remove many common infections.
Malwarebytes can run on Windows, Mac, and Android devices. Depending on which operating system is installed on the device you’re trying to run a Malwarebytes scan, please click on the tab below and follow the displayed steps.
Malwarebytes For WindowsMalwarebytes For MacMalwarebytes For Android
Scan your computer with Malwarebytes for Windows to remove malware
Malwarebytes stands out as one of the leading and widely-used anti-malware solutions for Windows, and for good reason. It effectively eradicates various types of malware that other programs often overlook, all at no cost to you. When it comes to disinfecting an infected device, Malwarebytes has consistently been a free and indispensable tool in the battle against malware. We highly recommend it for maintaining a clean and secure system.
Download Malwarebytes for Windows
You can download Malwarebytes by clicking the link below.
After the download is complete, locate the MBSetup file, typically found in your Downloads folder. Double-click on the MBSetup file to begin the installation of Malwarebytes on your computer. If a User Account Control pop-up appears, click “Yes” to continue the Malwarebytes installation.
Follow the On-Screen Prompts to Install Malwarebytes
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, the setup wizard will guide you through the process.
You’ll first be prompted to choose the type of computer you’re installing the program on—select either “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer” as appropriate, then click on Next.
Malwarebytes will now begin the installation process on your device.
When the Malwarebytes installation is complete, the program will automatically open to the “Welcome to Malwarebytes” screen.
On the final screen, simply click on the Open Malwarebytes option to start the program.
Enable “Rootkit scanning”.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware will now start, and you will see the main screen as shown below. To maximize Malwarebytes’ ability to detect malware and unwanted programs, we need to enable rootkit scanning. Click on the “Settings” gear icon located on the left of the screen to access the general settings section.
In the settings menu, enable the “Scan for rootkits” option by clicking the toggle switch until it turns blue.
Now that you have enabled rootkit scanning, click on the “Dashboard” button in the left pane to get back to the main screen.
Perform a Scan with Malwarebytes.
To start a scan, click the Scan button. Malwarebytes will automatically update its antivirus database and begin scanning your computer for malicious programs.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now scan your computer for browser hijackers and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Quarantine detected malware
Once the Malwarebytes scan is complete, it will display a list of detected malware, adware, and potentially unwanted programs. To effectively remove these threats, click the “Quarantine” button.
Malwarebytes will now delete all of the files and registry keys and add them to the program’s quarantine.
Restart your computer.
When removing files, Malwarebytes may require a reboot to fully eliminate some threats. If you see a message indicating that a reboot is needed, please allow it. Once your computer has restarted and you are logged back in, you can continue with the remaining steps.
Your computer should now be free of trojans, adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed this malicious program on your computer, you may want to consider purchasing Malwarebytes Premium to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Scan your computer with Malwarebytes for Mac to remove malware
Malwarebytes for Mac is an on-demand scanner that can destroy many types of malware that other software tends to miss without costing you absolutely anything. When it comes to cleaning up an infected device, Malwarebytes has always been free, and we recommend it as an essential tool in the fight against malware.
Download Malwarebytes for Mac.
You can download Malwarebytes for Mac by clicking the link below.
When Malwarebytes has finished downloading, double-click on the setup file to install Malwarebytes on your computer. In most cases, downloaded files are saved to the Downloads folder.
Follow the on-screen prompts to install Malwarebytes.
When the Malwarebytes installation begins, you will see the Malwarebytes for Mac Installer which will guide you through the installation process. Click “Continue“, then keep following the prompts to continue with the installation process.
When your Malwarebytes installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen. Click the “Get started” button.
Select “Personal Computer” or “Work Computer”.
The Malwarebytes Welcome screen will first ask you what type of computer are you installing this program, click either Personal Computer or Work Computer.
Click on “Scan”.
To scan your computer with Malwarebytes, click on the “Scan” button. Malwarebytes for Mac will automatically update the antivirus database and start scanning your computer for malware.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will scan your computer for adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious programs. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Quarantine”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes has detected. To remove the malware that Malwarebytes has found, click on the “Quarantine” button.
Restart computer.
Malwarebytes will now remove all the malicious files that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your computer.
Your Mac should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious program on your computer, you might want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still experiencing problems while trying to remove a malicious program from your computer, please ask for help in our Mac Malware Removal Help & Support forum.
Scan your phone with Malwarebytes for Android to remove malware
Malwarebytes for Android automatically detects and removes dangerous threats like malware and ransomware so you don’t have to worry about your most-used device being compromised. Aggressive detection of adware and potentially unwanted programs keeps your Android phone or tablet running smooth.
Download Malwarebytes for Android.
You can download Malwarebytes for Android by clicking the link below.
In the Google Play Store, tap “Install” to install Malwarebytes for Android on your device.
When the installation process has finished, tap “Open” to begin using Malwarebytes for Android. You can also open Malwarebytes by tapping on its icon in your phone menu or home screen.
Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process
When Malwarebytes will open, you will see the Malwarebytes Setup Wizard which will guide you through a series of permissions and other setup options. This is the first of two screens that explain the difference between the Premium and Free versions. Swipe this screen to continue. Tap on “Got it” to proceed to the next step. Malwarebytes for Android will now ask for a set of permissions that are required to scan your device and protect it from malware. Tap on “Give permission” to continue. Tap on “Allow” to permit Malwarebytes to access the files on your phone.
Update database and run a scan with Malwarebytes for Android
You will now be prompted to update the Malwarebytes database and run a full system scan.
Click on “Update database” to update the Malwarebytes for Android definitions to the latest version, then click on “Run full scan” to perform a system scan.
Wait for the Malwarebytes scan to complete.
Malwarebytes will now start scanning your phone for adware and other malicious apps. This process can take a few minutes, so we suggest you do something else and periodically check on the status of the scan to see when it is finished.
Click on “Remove Selected”.
When the scan has been completed, you will be presented with a screen showing the malware infections that Malwarebytes for Android has detected. To remove the malicious apps that Malwarebytes has found, tap on the “Remove Selected” button.
Restart your phone.
Malwarebytes for Android will now remove all the malicious apps that it has found. To complete the malware removal process, Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your device.
Your phone should now be free of adware, browser hijackers, and other malware.
If your current antivirus allowed a malicious app on your phone, you may want to consider purchasing the full-featured version of Malwarebytes to protect against these types of threats in the future. If you are still having problems with your phone after completing these instructions, then please follow one of the steps:
Restore your phone to factory settings by going to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset.
The “MrBeast Free Gift Card Codes” scam stands as another prime example of how cybercriminals impersonate celebrities and capitalize on people’s desires to get something for free. By masquerading as legitimate giveaways, these scams lure well-meaning internet users unaware of the ruse and manipulate them into compromising valuable personal data and even money.
Staying vigilant for telltale signs of scams, verifying claims, avoiding sharing sensitive information easily online, and using anti-virus protections are all critical in avoiding becoming victim. If you ever suspect an offer is a scam, trust your instincts, and refrain from engaging. With scam awareness and smart online practices, users can avoid this and other deceitful attempts by fraudsters to profit at the expense of the unsuspecting.
How to Stay Safe Online
Here are 10 basic security tips to help you avoid malware and protect your device:
Use a good antivirus and keep it up-to-date.
It's essential to use a good quality antivirus and keep it up-to-date to stay ahead of the latest cyber threats. We are huge fans of Malwarebytes Premium and use it on all of our devices, including Windows and Mac computers as well as our mobile devices. Malwarebytes sits beside your traditional antivirus, filling in any gaps in its defenses, and providing extra protection against sneakier security threats.
Keep software and operating systems up-to-date.
Keep your operating system and apps up to date. Whenever an update is released for your device, download and install it right away. These updates often include security fixes, vulnerability patches, and other necessary maintenance.
Be careful when installing programs and apps.
Pay close attention to installation screens and license agreements when installing software. Custom or advanced installation options will often disclose any third-party software that is also being installed. Take great care in every stage of the process and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next."
Install an ad blocker.
Use a browser-based content blocker, like AdGuard. Content blockers help stop malicious ads, Trojans, phishing, and other undesirable content that an antivirus product alone may not stop.
Be careful what you download.
A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather.
Be alert for people trying to trick you.
Whether it's your email, phone, messenger, or other applications, always be alert and on guard for someone trying to trick you into clicking on links or replying to messages. Remember that it's easy to spoof phone numbers, so a familiar name or number doesn't make messages more trustworthy.
Back up your data.
Back up your data frequently and check that your backup data can be restored. You can do this manually on an external HDD/USB stick, or automatically using backup software. This is also the best way to counter ransomware. Never connect the backup drive to a computer if you suspect that the computer is infected with malware.
Choose strong passwords.
Use strong and unique passwords for each of your accounts. Avoid using personal information or easily guessable words in your passwords. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts whenever possible.
Be careful where you click.
Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources. These could potentially contain malware or phishing scams.
Don't use pirated software.
Avoid using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-sharing programs, keygens, cracks, and other pirated software that can often compromise your data, privacy, or both.
To avoid potential dangers on the internet, it's important to follow these 10 basic safety rules. By doing so, you can protect yourself from many of the unpleasant surprises that can arise when using the web.
Meet Stelian Pilici
Stelian leverages over a decade of cybersecurity expertise to lead malware analysis and removal, uncover scams, and educate people. His experience provides insightful analysis and valuable perspective.
