A new gift card scam has emerged trying to capitalize on YouTube star MrBeast’s popularity. The fraudulent website Rt9.lol falsely claims to offer $100 gift cards for major retailers and gaming platforms. This article provides a comprehensive overview of how the Rt9.lol scam operates, what to do if you are victimized, and how to stay safe online.
Rt9.lol is a fraudulent website that falsely promises users the chance to claim $100 gift cards for major retailers and platforms from an alleged giveaway sponsored by famous YouTuber MrBeast. However, the site has absolutely no actual association with MrBeast and is merely leveraging his brand popularity to deceive consumers.
The scam website tries to entice victims by showcasing nearly a dozen different $100 card options from coveted brands like Xbox, PlayStation, Steam, Roblox, Amazon, iTunes and more. Images of gift cards bearing the MrBeast logo are displayed alongside the promotional text to further legitimize the too-good-to-be-true offers.
Those who click deeper into the site are shown example eGift card codes and redemption instructions, lending further credibility to the supposed gift card giveaway. However, visitors are then informed additional steps must be completed to unlock the full code required to activate their cards.
This tactic tricks users into believing they have already secured gift card prizes worth hundreds of dollars for free. In reality, MrBeast has no partnership with this sham website. The partial eGift card codes displayed are completely fake and random. They will never result in any awarded prizes since no actual gift card awards exist.
Rt9.lol operates on a typical scam business model known as “Prize Redemption.” Users are misled into thinking they are moments away from a valuable reward in order to get them to complete certain profitable actions for scammers running the site.
In the case of this scam, visitors must complete various “Sponsored Activities” before their gift card codes become accessible. These activities include downloads, surveys, subscriptions, app installs, personal information disclosure and more.
Each completed activity earns website operators lucrative affiliate payouts and kickbacks. User data is also harvested in the process and either sold to shady data brokers or used for targeted ad campaigns. The more offers victims complete, the more money scammers stand to gain.
Meanwhile, users receive positively nothing for their wasted time and compromised privacy other than an empty promise of eventual rewards. Rt9.lol has no actual gift card inventory or intention of handing out prizes. Its only purpose is deceiving site visitors to generate ill-gotten profits.
The site may ultimately claim the offer is unavailable in certain regions, restart the process or deploy other stalling tactics once victims realize no prizes are coming. But by this point significant user data damage is already done.
Some standout red flags of the Rt9.lol gift card scam include:
Too good to be true rewards bearing a famous influencer’s brand name
Mandatory completion of unrelated “sponsored activities”
Suspicious redemption process requiring partial code unlocks
URL spelling errors and domain mismatches
No privacy protections and data encryption
Lack of contact information or customer support access
Affiliate and sponsored post disclosures buried in small print
Sadly, due to widespread ignorance of common online scams, many consumers fall victim to the false promises peddled by dodgy websites like Rt9.lol. Impostor scams grew by a staggering 249% in 2023 alone according to the Federal Trade Commission. Read on to learn how this scam works.
How the Rt9.lol Scam Works
Here is a step-by-step explanation of how scammers operate the Rt9.lol gift card scam:
Step 1: Scam Website Promises Free Gift Cards
The homepage of Rt9.lol claims to offer $100 digital gift cards for major retailers, gaming platforms and payment apps. The site is made to appear as if popular YouTuber MrBeast is personally sponsoring a massive giveaway.
Various card options are displayed, implying users can select their preferred $100 card. In reality, the images are purely for show to make the scam more convincing.
Step 2: Users Select a Gift Card & Enter Fake Code
When users choose a gift card, they are taken to a page displaying an example code made up of letters and numbers. A message then states users must complete a “sponsored activity” offer to unlock the full code required to redeem their card.
This step tricks victims into thinking completing a quick advertiser offer will let them claim an actual $100 gift card with the displayed code. But the partial codes shown are completely random and fake.
Step 3: Complete “Sponsored Activity” Offers
Before showing the full gift card code, users must first complete a “sponsored activity.” Offers may include:
Downloading and playing mobile games
Signing up for fishy email newsletters
Completing dozens of online surveys
Submitting personal information
Entering credit card or bank details
Purchasing monthly subscriptions
These activities allow scammers behind Rt9.lol to generate pay-per-action affiliate revenue and collect user data. The more offers victims complete, the more money the scammers earn.
Step 4: Never Receive Any Gift Cards
Once users complete several sponsored offers, they are informed that the gift card prize is “currently unavailable in their region.” Users may be given an option to invite friends to unlock the prize, restarting the scam cycle.
Ultimately, victims never receive any actual gift cards, no matter how many surveys they fill out or apps they install. The website has no mechanism for delivering rewards.
The entire premise of free gift cards in exchange for completing advertiser offers is an outright deception. MrBeast is not affiliated with the website in any way.
What to Do if You Are Victimized by the Scam
If you have fallen prey to the free gift card scam by providing sensitive information or completing offer wall activities on Rt9.lol, take the following steps right away:
Step 1: Contact Your Bank or Credit Card Company
If you submitted any financial information or activated paid subscriptions, immediately reach out to your bank or credit card provider. Report any charges you did not approve or do not recognize. Consider blocking future charges from unknown third parties as well.
Step 2: Change All Account Passwords
Change the passwords on any online accounts for which you used the same or similar login credentials on the scam website. Use unique, strong passwords for each account going forward. Enabling two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security as well.
Step 3: Run an Antivirus Scan
Download and run a thorough antivirus scan to check your device for any malware that may have been installed by files or apps downloaded from the scam site. Quarantine or remove any detected threats.
Step 4: Investigate Unknown Email Subscriptions
Check your email account inbox and spam folder for any emails regarding subscriptions you don’t remember signing up for. Click unsubscribe at the bottom of these emails to halt any recurring orders or payments.
Step 5: Place Fraud Alert on Your Credit
Consider placing an initial 90-day fraud alert via one of the three major credit bureaus. This will require creditors to verify your identity before opening any new accounts, making it harder for scammers to exploit your information.
Step 6: Report the Scam Website
File detailed complaints about your experience on the FTC Complaint Assistant form and via the reporting functions of sites like BBB.org. Provide all known details about the scam offers and website so the appropriate authorities can investigate further.
Step 7: Spread Awareness of the Scam
After taking self-protective actions, post details about the scam website on social media channels to make more consumers aware. Scammers rely on public ignorance. Arming people with information can help deter further victims.
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 Rt9.lol Scam
The fraudulent website Rt9.lol falsely promises $100 gift cards for completing surveys and downloads. If you have encountered this scam, you likely have many questions. This FAQ covers common inquiries about Rt9.lol to help consumers avoid being defrauded.
Is Rt9.lol endorsed by MrBeast?
No. MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, is a popular YouTuber known for expensive stunts and charity. However, Mr. Beast is not associated with Rt9.lol in any way. The site dishonestly uses his brand to pretend affiliation.
Does Rt9.lol actually give out free gift cards?
Absolutely not. The site showcases gift card images and fake codes to convince visitors rewards exist. But no real gift cards are ever dispensed, regardless of surveys completed. It is a fraudulent scam throughout.
Why must I complete sponsor offers to receive my gift card?
Mandating unrelated “sponsored activities” lets scammers make money from your data while providing nothing in return. No legitimate giveaway requires unrelated actions to secure already won prizes.
Can I trust download links or subscriptions on Rt9.lol?
No. Downloads likely contain malware, while subscriptions facilitate recurring hidden charges. Avoid installing anything or entering payment details on scam websites.
Is it safe to enter my personal information on Rt9.lol?
Submitting any sensitive data on untrustworthy sites puts you at risk of identity theft. Never share financial details, contact info or account credentials on unverified domains.
Does Rt9.lol have a valid privacy policy protecting user data?
No. Deceptive websites like Rt9.lol rarely uphold data protection laws or securely store information. Assume your data will be misused or sold if providing it.
Can I report or sue Rt9.lol for scamming me?
You can file detailed scam reports via the FTC, BBB, IC3 and social networks. You likely cannot sue outright, but reporting assists investigations to get scam sites shut down.
How can I recover losses or stolen data from the Rt9.lol scam?
Unfortunately, consumers rarely recover losses from online scams directly. You can report unauthorized charges to banks to attempt reversing payments and monitor your credit. Avoid further damage by changing passwords and checking credit reports.
The bottom line is Rt9.lol operates solely to misuse consumer data and generate illicit revenues – not distribute free rewards. Protect yourself by increasing scam awareness, checking site reputation carefully and never supplying information to untrustworthy domains.
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, the supposed free gift card giveaway offers promoted on sites like Rt9.lol seem too good to be true because they are completely illegitimate. Keep the following facts in mind to avoid falling victim to this and similar gift card scams:
No legitimate website will make users complete endless surveys or offers in exchange for a prize they supposedly already won. This tactic is a well-known scam red flag.
MrBeast has no affiliation with Rt9.lol or any other website promising free gift cards on his behalf. Any such claims are falsified.
Check domain details carefully before entering info on giveaway websites. Scammers often employ lookalike domains that closely resemble a brand but redirect elsewhere.
If submitting data to a questionable website, don’t reuse the same credentials on other accounts. Expect your details to be compromised, not secured.
Think twice before downloading anything or activating unknown subscriptions during online offers. It’s likely just a scheme to infect devices with malware or generate illicit profits.
Stay vigilant against online scams by double checking where you input personal details and only participating in unambiguously legitimate offers posted by official brands. After all, everyone would love $100 in free gift cards – which is exactly why MrBeast remains such an enticing lure to exploit consumers with a well-crafted con.
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.
