Imagine seeing a bold offer: “Claim your $500 Dollar Tree Gift Card!” You click, excited. After all, who wouldn’t want free money at a popular discount retailer? But what if we told you this promise is a trap? If you’ve come across a site like TreeGifted.com, it’s critical to proceed with caution. What looks like a generous offer is often a well-disguised scam designed to exploit your data, time, and money.
In this comprehensive investigation, we will expose the shady reality behind TreeGifted.com and similar fraudulent websites. We’ll walk you through how these scams work, how they ensnare victims, and what you should do if you’ve been caught in their web.
What is TreeGifted.com and Why It’s a Red Flag
TreeGifted.com is a scam website that masquerades as a promotional platform offering high-value rewards, such as a $500 Dollar Tree gift card, in exchange for completing “simple tasks.” These tasks typically involve surveys, downloads, and trial signups. On the surface, it sounds like an easy way to make money or earn a freebie. But dig deeper, and a web of deception reveals itself.
Suspicious Claims
The website prominently features instructions like:
“Click on ‘GET STARTED NOW’ below”
“Enter your email and basic information”
“Complete 5 recommended deals”
“Claim your $500 Dollar Tree Gift Card”
At first glance, this process appears simple. However, the site fails to mention the risks involved, including identity theft, malware installation, unauthorized charges, and personal data abuse.
The Real Motive: Affiliate Commissions
Behind the curtain, TreeGifted.com is part of a pay-per-action affiliate marketing scam. Each time a user signs up for a “deal” or submits personal data, the scammers earn a commission. They have no intention of ever giving out a $500 gift card. Your interaction is monetized every step of the way.
Clues That It’s a Scam
Here are clear indicators that TreeGifted.com is not legitimate:
No verifiable company information: No address, business registration, or customer service.
Fake social proof: Claims like “137 people claimed this offer today” are randomly generated.
Redirect loops: Users are sent through numerous shady websites, each one designed to extract more personal data.
No actual Dollar Tree endorsement: Dollar Tree has never authorized such giveaways.
Too-good-to-be-true offers: Legitimate companies rarely give away $500 for simply clicking and entering an email.
Hidden Costs
What many victims don’t realize is that completing the required deals often involves:
Subscribing to services that charge monthly fees
Providing credit card details
Sharing extensive personal information
Once this information is entered, it can be sold to data brokers or used for further fraud. In worst cases, victims report:
Unexpected credit card charges
Influx of spam emails and robocalls
Compromised accounts and identity theft
TreeGifted.com is not just a waste of time—it’s a digital predator.
How the Scam Works
Scammers behind TreeGifted.com follow a highly optimized funnel to draw you in and profit from your actions. Here’s how the typical scam unfolds:
Step 1: The Bait (Fake Gift Card Offer)
You land on a page promising a $500 Dollar Tree gift card. The branding looks convincing. The message is urgent: “Act now! Limited supply!”
Step 2: Get Started Button
You click “GET STARTED NOW,” which initiates a chain of redirects through multiple sketchy affiliate marketing networks. These redirections are monetized, and each click potentially earns the scammers a commission.
Step 3: Form Submission
You’re asked to enter your email, phone number, and sometimes even your full name, address, and date of birth. At this stage, your data is already being harvested.
Step 4: The Deals
To qualify for your reward, you’re told to complete a series of 5 “deals.” These deals include:
Signing up for trial subscriptions (e.g., streaming services, diet programs)
Downloading mobile apps (some containing malware or trackers)
Completing surveys (designed to collect more personal data)
Registering for sweepstakes (further data collection or more scam offers)
Step 5: The Endless Loop
You may never reach a “congratulations” page. If you do, it redirects to even more offers. Many users report never receiving any gift card, even after completing all the deals. Instead, you are bombarded with:
Upsell offers
Subscription traps
More scammy redirects
Step 6: Unwanted Consequences
After completing the process, victims often face:
Monthly charges for services they didn’t want
Spam calls and emails from third-party marketers
Increased risk of identity theft
How to Identify Other Scam Websites Running the Same Scheme
Scammers often use the same tactics across multiple fake websites. They simply swap out logos and brand names — today it’s a “$500 Dollar Tree Gift Card,” tomorrow it might be Target, Walmart, or Amazon. Here are the key warning signs and red flags that indicate a website is part of a fraudulent gift card scam:
1. Promises of High-Value Gift Cards for Minimal Effort
If a website offers something like a $500 gift card just for clicking a link or filling out a form, it’s almost certainly a scam. Real companies rarely give out large-value rewards without proper verification, and never in exchange for just a few “deals” or survey completions.
2. Requires You to Complete “Deals” or “Offers”
These sites typically require users to complete a number of third-party deals, such as downloading apps, signing up for subscriptions, or registering for other promotions. These are designed to generate affiliate income for the scammer — not to reward you.
3. No Clear Contact Information or Company Background
Legitimate promotions are backed by real companies with accessible contact details, physical addresses, and privacy policies. Scam sites usually lack this information or provide fake credentials.
4. Use of Big Brand Logos Without Permission
Scam websites often use logos from Dollar Tree, Walmart, Amazon, or other major retailers to appear trustworthy. Always double-check the offer on the official website of the company to confirm whether it’s real.
5. Numerous Redirects
After clicking “Get Started” or any other call-to-action, you may be taken through a series of unfamiliar, unrelated websites. This is a major red flag — these redirects are used to track your behavior and monetize your clicks.
6. Fake Social Proof and Timers
Look out for:
Messages like “237 people claimed this today”
Countdown timers to create urgency
Stock photos of “recent winners”
These are fake elements meant to pressure you into acting quickly without thinking.
7. Requests for Sensitive Information Early On
Be very cautious of sites that ask for your full name, email, phone number, address, or — especially — credit card details, before you’ve even confirmed what you’re getting.
8. Poor Grammar or Generic Design
Scam websites often use generic templates and may contain grammatical errors, awkward phrasing, or low-quality visuals. While this isn’t always the case, it can be a strong indicator of a fake site.
9. URLs That Don’t Match the Brand
Always check the domain name. If the website claims to represent Dollar Tree but the URL is something like freestuff-deals-now.xyz, it’s not legitimate. Real promotions are hosted on the official brand’s domain.
10. No Mention on Official Company Channels
Check the official website and social media of the company offering the gift card. If there’s no mention of the promotion there, it’s almost certainly a scam.
Bonus Tip: Use Scam Alert Tools
You can use websites like AdGuard to check if a site has been flagged as unsafe. Browser extensions like Web of Trust (WOT) can also help detect scams in real-time.
By learning to spot these warning signs, you can protect yourself and others from falling into these digital traps. Always take a moment to investigate before clicking or signing up for any “too good to be true” offers.
What to Do If You Have Fallen Victim to the Scam
If you’ve interacted with TreeGifted.com and shared personal or financial data, act quickly to minimize damage:
1. Cancel Unwanted Subscriptions
Go through your email and bank records to find any services you signed up for and cancel them.
2. Monitor Your Bank Accounts
Check for unauthorized transactions. Contact your bank or card issuer to dispute charges and possibly block your card.
3. Change Passwords
If you reused any passwords, change them immediately, especially for accounts linked to your email.
4. Scan for Malware
If you downloaded anything from their links, run a full antivirus scan on your device.
Dollar Tree Customer Service: Let them know their brand is being abused.
6. Freeze Your Credit
Consider freezing your credit with all three major bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) to prevent identity theft.
7. Use Identity Monitoring Services
Services like LifeLock, IdentityGuard, or Aura can help track and protect your identity from further misuse.
Is Your Device Infected? Scan for Malware
If your computer or phone is slow, showing unwanted pop-ups, or acting strangely, malware could be the cause. Running a scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free is one of the most reliable ways to detect and remove harmful software. The free version can identify and clean common infections such as adware, browser hijackers, trojans, and other unwanted programs.
Malwarebytes works on Windows, Mac, and Android devices. Choose your operating system below and follow the steps to scan your device and remove any malware that might be slowing it down.
Malwarebytes for WindowsMalwarebytes for MacMalwarebytes for Android
Run a Malware Scan with Malwarebytes for Windows
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
Download the latest version of Malwarebytes for Windows using the official link below. Malwarebytes will scan your computer and remove adware, browser hijackers, and other malicious software for free.
(The above link will open a new page from where you can download Malwarebytes)
Install Malwarebytes
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.
Once the scan completes, remove all detected threats. Your Windows computer should now be clean and running smoothly again, free of trojans, adware, 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:
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.
After scanning, delete any detected threats. Your Mac should now be free from adware, unwanted extensions, and other potentially harmful software.
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.
Run a Malware Scan with Malwarebytes for Android
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.
When the scan is finished, remove all detected threats. Your Android phone should now be free of malicious apps, adware, and unwanted browser redirects.
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.
After cleaning your device, it’s important to protect it from future infections and annoying pop-ups. We recommend installing an ad blocker such as AdGuard. AdGuard blocks malicious ads, prevents phishing attempts, and stops dangerous redirects, helping you stay safe while browsing online.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is TreeGifted.com a legitimate website?
No, TreeGifted.com is not a legitimate website. It is a scam site that uses deceptive marketing tactics to lure users into sharing personal information, signing up for subscriptions, and downloading potentially harmful apps under the false promise of a $500 Dollar Tree gift card.
Will I actually receive a $500 Dollar Tree gift card?
No, there is no verified evidence that anyone has received a legitimate gift card from this promotion. The promised reward is used purely as bait to get users to complete tasks that generate affiliate revenue for the scammers.
What are the risks of completing the “deals”?
The deals often require users to:
Enter personal and financial information
Sign up for trial subscriptions that lead to recurring charges
Download apps that may contain malware or spyware
Receive excessive spam or robocalls
These actions can result in identity theft, financial loss, and long-term privacy issues.
Why do they ask for my personal information?
Your personal data is extremely valuable to scammers. It can be sold to third-party marketers or used to open fraudulent accounts, commit identity theft, or bombard you with spam.
How do these scams make money?
Scammers earn affiliate commissions every time you:
Click on a redirect link
Complete a survey or download an app
Sign up for a subscription or trial service
They profit without ever having to send you a gift card.
What should I do if I already completed the steps?
If you have already entered personal or financial details, take immediate action:
Cancel any services or subscriptions you signed up for
Contact your bank or credit card provider to report and dispute unauthorized charges
Run a full antivirus scan on your device
Change any reused passwords
Report the scam to authorities like the FTC or IC3
How can I avoid falling for similar scams in the future?
Always verify the legitimacy of online offers by checking with the official brand or company
Look for contact information and customer reviews
Be skeptical of high-value rewards that require sensitive information
Avoid clicking on unsolicited links or ads that seem too good to be true
Is Dollar Tree involved with this offer?
No, Dollar Tree has not endorsed or authorized any $500 gift card giveaway associated with TreeGifted.com. Their brand name and logo are being used without permission.
Can I report this scam?
Yes, and you should. You can report the scam to:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
The Better Business Bureau (BBB)
Dollar Tree’s customer service to notify them about the misuse of their brand
The Bottom Line
The TreeGifted.com “$500 Dollar Tree Gift Card” offer is a classic scam wrapped in shiny packaging. It preys on curiosity and financial hope, offering nothing in return but financial loss and data theft. If an offer sounds too good to be true—it almost certainly is.
Stay vigilant, verify before you trust, and always do your research. Your data is valuable—don’t hand it over to fraudsters.
Want to help others? Share this article to warn your friends and family about the dangers of online gift card scams. Together, we can make the internet a safer place.
Thomas is an expert at uncovering scams and providing in-depth reporting on cyber threats and online fraud. As an editor, he is dedicated to keeping readers informed on the latest developments in cybersecurity and tech.
