DollarGifted.com “$500 Dollar Tree Gift Card” Scam Explained
Written by: Thomas Orsolya
Published on:
The lure of easy free gift cards from popular retailers like Dollar Tree seems highly enticing. But supposed free gift card offers blasted online by scammers usually turn out to be thinly-veiled ploys for stealing personal information and cash.
One current scam making the rounds dangles a $500 Dollar Tree gift card as bait to trick victims. Using Dollar Tree branding without permission, the Dollargifted.com website falsely claims all you have to do is click a link, enter basic information, and complete some deals to receive the massive gift card credit. However, it’s just a facade for funneling victims into shady websites and services carrying hidden fees.
Overview of the Dollargifted.com “$500 Dollar Tree Gift Card” Scam
The Dollargifted.com website displays the Dollar Tree logo prominently and tempts victims with the following claims:
“Complete the Steps below to Claim your 100−100-100−500 Dollar Tree Gift Card
Steps to Qualify
Click on “Get Started” below
Enter your email and basic information
Complete 5 recommended deals (required)
Claim your $500 Dollar Tree Gift Card”
However, Dollar Tree is not actually giving away $500 gift cards for completing basic steps on this site. And finishing “recommended deals” does not generate a code for a free gift card either. The promises are completely bogus.
In reality, clicking “Get Started” sends victims through an affiliate funnel aimed at collecting personal data and signing people up for subscription services or dubious offers that result in credit card charges.
This scam takes advantage of the Dollar Tree brand recognition to trick shoppers who would love to receive a massive pre-paid card credit. But the website has no actual association with the real Dollar Tree rewards programs.
How the Dollargifted.com “$500 Dollar Tree Gift Card” Scam Works
Here is a walkthrough of what happens when you click on Dollargifted.com:
1. Scam Ads and Emails Lead to Dollargifted.com
The scam starts with social media ads, pop-ups, text messages, or spam emails directing victims to the Dollargifted.com website.
Subject lines like “Claim $500 Dollar Tree Gift Card Here” r“Receive $500 Dollar Tree Gift Card Now” entice people to click on the links. The messages illegally use the Dollar Tree logo to appear valid.
2. Site Claims Completing Steps Gets a $500 Card
The Dollargifted site displays the Dollar Tree logo prominently and minimal text reading:
“Complete the Steps below to Claim your $500 Dollar Tree Gift Card
Steps to Qualify
Click on “Get Started” below
Enter your email and basic information
Complete 5 recommended deals (required)
Claim your $500 Dollar Tree Gift Card”
This gives the impression that simply clicking, entering basic info, and finishing deals will generate a $500 digital gift card code. But there are no details on what “recommended deals” entail or how codes are provided.
3. Clicking “Get Started” Leads Down an Affiliate Funnel
When victims click “Get Started” believing they will receive a $500 Dollar Tree gift card, they are instead redirected to an affiliate funnel.
This means victims are forced to hand over personal information, agree to subscribe to services, or download apps and software they likely do not want. The purpose is to collect data and expose victims to offers carrying commissions.
4. “Deals” Include Downloads, Junk Trials, and Subscription Traps
To receive the promised gift card, victims must complete 5 “recommended deals”. These offers prey on victims’ desires to claim the $500 reward:
Downloading shady apps or browser extensions
Signing up for “risk-free” trial offers that convert into paid subscriptions
Submitting a ton of personal information like full name, birthdate, addresses, phone numbers, etc.
Completing pages of time-wasting surveys and questionnaires
Many downloads are affiliated malware or spyware. Trials turn into charges victims must proactively cancel. And personal info gets sold to other shady parties.
5. No Gift Card is Received – Just Recurring Charges
After completing the required “deals”, victims find out there is no actual $500 Dollar Tree gift card. The promise was a total scam designed to expose people to junk offers.
Instead, victims are left with:
Monthly credit card charges for any paid trials they signed up for but didn’t cancel in time
Malware on devices from downloaded apps and software
Spam emails flooding inboxes with more scammy offers
Personal info sold and used to target victims for other scams
Meanwhile, the scammers behind the affiliate funnel profit from commissions earned on each completed offer or download.
What to Do If You Fell for the Dollar Tree Gift Card Scam
If you already clicked on Dollargifted.com and went through the funnel, here are important steps to take right away:
Carefully check credit cards and bank accounts and dispute any unauthorized charges. Watch out for recurring monthly fees.
Scan devices for malware and uninstall anything downloaded from the affiliate flow to avoid compromise.
Change passwords on any accounts you may have entered information for to protect credentials. Enable two-factor authentication if possible.
Contact the major credit bureaus to implement protective fraud alerts in case your information gets misused.
Report the scam to the FTC, Dollar Tree security team, and any other entities that can help shut the scam down. The more reports filed, the better.
Forward any scam emails to spam@uce.gov and your email provider to help block further spread. Delete all messages related to the bogus offer.
Staying vigilant following exposure to gift card scams limits damages and helps authorities stop ongoing schemes. Don’t let desire for free rewards allow scammers to take advantage.
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 About the Dollargifted.com Scam
1. What is the $500 Dollar Tree gift card scam?
This is a scam where ads and emails direct victims to Dollargifted.com by promising a free $500 Dollar Tree gift card. The site displays the Dollar Tree logo and claims you just need to click a link, enter info, complete deals, and get a gift card. But it’s completely fake and not associated with Dollar Tree.
2. How does the Dollar Tree gift card scam work?
Victims are lured by ads or emails promising an easy $500 gift card. Clicking takes them to Dollargifted.com and its bogus promise. But clicking “Get Started” redirects to an affiliate funnel, not a gift card. Victims have to complete offers and enter personal info, allowing scammers to profit from commissions and stolen data. No gift card is ever provided.
3. Are the offers on Dollargifted.com legitimate?
No. The offers are for suspicious downloads, junk trials, and sketchy subscriptions unrelated to Dollar Tree. They often convert to recurring monthly charges. The apps and downloads may contain malware. None of the offers should be trusted.
4. What happens after completing the offers?
Victims receive no $500 Dollar Tree gift card after finishing the offers. The promise was completely fake. Instead, victims find monthly charges from trials, spam emails, and potential malware or breached information if personal data was entered.
5. What are signs this is a scam?
Red flags include the too-good-to-be-true gift card amount, strange requirement to complete offers, use of Dollar Tree’s branding without permission, and requests for personal information. Dollar Tree would never give away gift cards via random ads or emails.
6. What should I do if I entered information or downloaded apps?
Monitor accounts closely for any fraudulent charges from trials.
Cancel any pending trials immediately to avoid monthly billing.
Scan devices and delete anything downloaded from the site to remove malware.
Change passwords on any accounts you entered info for.
Contact credit bureaus to implement fraud alerts.
7. How can I avoid gift card scams?
Ignore ads or emails offering easy free rewards. They are likely scams.
Do not click links from senders you don’t know. Delete suspicious messages.
Verify promotions directly via a company’s official website before providing any personal information.
Never pay any money or fees to claim a legitimate prize or gift card.
8. Where can I report this scam?
Report this scam to the FTC, Dollar Tree, ad networks, and email providers. The more reports filed, the more likely this scam campaign can be shut down.
The Bottom Line on the Dollargifted.com Scam
The bottom line is – Dollargifted.com has absolutely no connection to Dollar Tree. There are no $500 gift cards being given away. The website’s minimal text and prominent use of branding are intended to trick victims into thinking it’s legitimate.
In reality, it’s just a facade funneling victims into various subscription traps, information harvesting, and malware downloads. You will not receive a real gift card by clicking on this scam website and jumping through hoops.
To avoid this “$500 Dollar Tree Gift Card” scam, remember:
Dollar Tree does not give away huge gift cards in exchange for clicking links or submitting personal information. That would make no business sense.
If an offer seems suspiciously easy, like free rewards for minimal effort, it’s almost certainly a scam. Delete suspicious messages.
Never provide sensitive personal info to unfamiliar sites found via spam emails or ads.
Downloading software should only be done from official sources and well-reviewed publishers you trust.
Stay vigilant against gift card scams by treating supposed free reward offers with skepticism. Also be wary of sites pressuring you to download software or hand over personal data to earn prizes. With sound judgment, you can avoid traps like the bogus $500 Dollar Tree gift card scam.
10 Rules to Avoid Online Scams
Here are 10 practical safety rules to help you avoid malware, online shopping scams, crypto scams, and other online fraud. Each tip includes a quick “if you already got hit” action.
Stop and verify before you click, log in, download, or pay.
Most scams win by creating urgency. Verify using a trusted method: type the website address yourself, use the official app, or call a known number (not the one in the message).
If you already clicked: close the page, do not enter passwords, and run a malware scan.
Keep your operating system, browser, and apps updated.
Updates patch security holes used by malware and malicious ads. Turn on automatic updates where possible.
If you saw a scary “update now” pop-up: close it and update only through your device settings or the official app store.
Use layered protection: antivirus plus an ad blocker.
Antivirus helps block malware. An ad blocker reduces scam redirects, phishing pages, and malvertising.
If your browser is acting weird: remove unknown extensions, reset the browser, then run a full scan.
Install apps, software, and extensions only from official sources.
Avoid cracked software, “keygens,” and random downloads. During installs, choose Custom/Advanced and decline bundled offers you do not recognize.
If you already installed something suspicious: uninstall it, restart, and scan again.
Treat links and attachments as untrusted by default.
Phishing often impersonates delivery services, banks, and popular brands. If it is unexpected, do not open attachments or log in through the message.
If you entered credentials: change the password immediately and enable 2FA.
Shop safely: research the store, then pay with protection.
Be cautious with brand-new stores, “closing sale” stories, and prices that make no sense. Prefer credit cards or PayPal for dispute options. Avoid wire transfers, gift cards, and crypto payments.
If you already paid: contact your card issuer or PayPal quickly to dispute the transaction.
Crypto rule: never pay a “fee” to withdraw or recover money.
Common patterns include fake profits, then “tax,” “gas,” or “verification” fees. Another is a “recovery agent” who demands upfront crypto.
If you already sent crypto: stop paying, save evidence (wallet addresses, TXIDs, chats), and report the scam to the platform used.
Secure your accounts with unique passwords and 2FA (start with email).
Use a password manager and unique passwords for every account. Enable 2FA using an authenticator app when possible.
If you suspect an account takeover: change passwords, sign out of all devices, and review recent logins and recovery settings.
Back up important files and keep one backup offline.
Backups protect you from ransomware and device failure. Keep at least one backup on an external drive that is not always connected.
If you suspect infection: do not connect backup drives until the system is clean.
If you think you are a victim: stop losses, document evidence, and escalate fast.
Move quickly. Speed matters for disputes, account recovery, and limiting damage.
Stop payments and contact: do not send more money or respond to the scammer.
Call your bank or card issuer: block transactions, replace the card if needed, and start a dispute or chargeback.
Secure your email first: change the email password, enable 2FA, and remove unfamiliar recovery options.
Secure other accounts: change passwords, enable 2FA, and log out of all sessions.
Scan your device: remove suspicious apps or extensions, then run a full malware scan.
Save evidence: screenshots, emails, order pages, tracking pages, wallet addresses, TXIDs, and chat logs.
Report it: to the payment provider, marketplace, social platform, exchange, or wallet service involved.
These rules are intentionally simple. Most online losses happen when decisions are rushed. Slow down, verify independently, and use payment methods and account controls that give you recourse.
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.
