Don’t Fall For the MrBeast.World Scam – It’s All Fake!
Written by: Stelian Pilici
Published on:
Mrbeast.world has been making waves across social media, with posts and videos directing users to the website to claim free gift cards supposedly being given away by YouTuber MrBeast. But this increasingly viral promotion is actually an elaborate scam operation that ensnares victims into handing over personal information and completing spam offers.
This in-depth guide will uncover everything you need to know about the deceptive mrbeast.world scam and how to steer clear of it.
Overview of the Mrbeast.world Scam
Mrbeast.world is a website that fraudulently claims the popular YouTuber with over 170 million subscribers, MrBeast, is giving away free $100 gift cards to celebrate hitting a subscriber milestone. The site lures social media users through posts and videos, often on TikTok and Instagram, that direct them to the website to collect their supposed gift card.
However, MrBeast is not associated with mrbeast.world in any way. The website is a phishing scam operation that uses his name and notoriety for expensive stunts to trick unsuspecting people. The site collects personal information and exposes victims to online threats through spam offers under the guise of “verifying” identities.
Mrbeast.world follows the typical scam playbook. Once on the site, users are prompted to select a gift card from major brands like Amazon, Target, Steam, or PlayStation. They enter an email address in hopes of receiving a digital code for the card. Instead, they are redirected to complete sketchy offers on a “verification” page, like downloading apps, surveys, or providing sensitive information.
These offers generate online fraud revenue for scammers through commissions, affiliate payouts, harvesting emails for spamming, and selling user data. Meanwhile, victims who complete the offers predictably receive zero gift cards. The entire premise is an information harvesting operation orchestrated under the cover of MrBeast’s trusted brand.
How the Mrbeast.world Scam Works
The success of the mrbeast.world scam relies on the orchestrated use of social media posts, fake gift card promises, and a website impersonating MrBeast to lure people in. Here is how users get hooked:
Stage 1: The Promotional Post
The scam typically starts with a post on social platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter promoting an amazing giveaway opportunity. For example, an Instagram post may say “MRBEAST.WORLD. On the occasion of 170M subscribers MRBEAST surprises his band with the biggest GIVEAWAY in history.”
Stage 2: The Phishing Website
Clicking the link brings users to mrbeast.world. This website incorporates MrBeast’s logos, colors, and graphics to appear as a legitimate domain owned by him. The site reflects his reputation for over-the-top giveaways with hype about free $100 gift cards. This builds a facade of credibility.
Stage 3: Submit Email for “Gift Card”
On the website, users are prompted to select their desired gift card from major retailers. They are then instructed to enter their email address, which the site claims will be used to email a digital code for the gift card. In reality, this gives scammers a validated email to add to spam lists.
Stage 4: Fake Verification Process
After submitting an email address, users are redirected to a new page to “verify their identity” and unlock their gift card code. This introduces completing sketchy offers as a mandatory step before receiving the promised gift cards.
Stage 5: Complete Various Spam Offers
The verification page presents users with various offers they need to complete to receive their gift card, such as:
Downloading and installing rogue apps
Signing up for subscription services
Taking online surveys
Watching videos or clicking affiliate links
Enabling browser notifications
Entering sensitive personal info
These offers generate online fraud revenue for scammers while users believe it is the last step before getting their gift cards.
Stage 6: No Gift Cards Awarded
Finally, after completing some or all offers, users will never receive the promised gift cards. Mrbeast.world never intended to give any away. At best, victims will have wasted time and been added to spam lists. At worst, they’ve compromised personal information, downloaded malware, signed up for recurring fees, and more.
What To Do If You Fell Victim to the Mrbeast.world Scam
If you entered any information, completed sketchy offers, or downloaded anything related to mrbeast.world under the impression of earning free gift cards, here are important next steps:
Scan Devices for Malware or Spyware
If you installed any apps or files from provided links, scan all of your devices with Malwarebytes immediately for malware, viruses, or spyware. Eliminate anything suspicious to avoid financial data theft or unauthorized access to accounts.
Change Passwords on Accounts
Even if you didn’t directly provide sensitive information, reset passwords on your main accounts like email, social media, and financial accounts. Use new secure passwords unique from other accounts. Enable two-factor authentication as well.
Review Financial Statements Closely
Carefully review your credit card statements and bank account transactions for any unusual or unapproved activity. Report any unauthorized charges or access to financial institutions immediately.
Unsubscribe from Email Lists
Check your email settings to unsubscribe from any mailing lists you may have inadvertently signed up for while completing offers. Mark mrbeast.world emails as spam.
Revoke Permissions From Downloaded Apps
For any apps you downloaded as part of the scam, visit privacy settings and revoke all permissions as well as delete the apps themselves to prevent ongoing access to your accounts or data.
Ignore Follow-up Offers
Disregard any additional emails, notifications, or messages related to mrbeast.world. The scam will often have follow-up offers to try tricking victims again. These should all be ignored and reported as phishing.
Report the Scam
To protect others, formally report mrbeast.world wherever you encountered it – social media platforms, app stores, etc. You can also file detailed scam reports with the FTC and FBI’s IC3.
Protecting Yourself from Similar Gift Card Scams
While mrbeast.world may be more prominent lately, fake gift card giveaways are unfortunately common online. Here are key tips to avoid falling for them:
Research brands and domains for legitimacy before providing info. Double check for slight name changes or typos.
Verify giveaways through official brand channels, not just social media posts or emails.
Avoid contests and giveaways that require an upfront “fee” or “tax” to receive winnings.
Install comprehensive security software to detect phishing links and block dangerous downloads.
Monitor financial statements routinely for any unauthorized charges or withdrawals.
Limit sharing of personal information online, especially to websites you don’t recognize.
Use unique complex passwords for every account and set up two-factor authentication.
Closely inspect URL spellings and domains of links before clicking.
Stay vigilant online and remember incredible free gift offers are almost always an indicator of a scam. Safe browsing practices will help users steer clear of mrbeast.world and other fraudulent gift card scams lurking on social platforms, emails, and search ads.
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.
Is mrbeast.world affiliated with the real MrBeast?
No. Mrbeast.world is not associated with MrBeast in any way. It is a scam website.
What is the scam promising users?
The site claims MrBeast is giving away free $100 gift cards to celebrate 170M YouTube subs. But this is false.
How does the scam try to convince users?
It uses MrBeast’s brand recognition and reputation for big giveaways. The site looks somewhat legitimate with logos.
What information do users have to give?
An email address and personal details through scam “verification” offers. This data is sold or used for identity theft.
What happens after users submit an email address?
They are redirected to complete sketchy offers on a phishing page disguised as gift card verification.
Should I complete the verification offers?
No. The offers only generate money for scammers. Users won’t get a gift card by completing them.
What kind of offers are on the phishing page?
Surveys, downloads, subscription sign-ups, etc. These collect user data and online fraud revenue.
Are the gift cards real?
No. Mrbeast.world never intends to send actual gift cards. The entire premise is fabricated to scam users.
What should I do if I gave my information?
Change passwords, scan for malware, monitor financial accounts, report the scam website and any associated accounts.
How can I avoid this scam?
Stick to official websites and channels, don’t click suspicious links, research odd offers thoroughly, and never pay for a “prize.”
Final Thoughts on the Mrbeast.world Scam Scheme
Mrbeast.world leverages the famous YouTuber’s reputation and brand recognition to ensnare victims into providing personal data and completing dubious offers under the false pretense of sending gift cards. But make no mistake – mrbeast.world is a fraudulent phishing scheme, not a legitimate giveaway.
Approach online contests and celebrity promotions with ample skepticism. Take steps to secure accounts and devices used to participate. Avoid entering information on unfamiliar domains, regardless of social proof. With proper precautions, internet users can mitigate risk online from scammers behind devious schemes like mrbeast.world.
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.
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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.
