Don’t Fall for the FAKE Trader Joe’s $700 Gift Card Scams
Written by: Thomas Orsolya
Published on:
Trader Joe’s die-hard fans know that scoring free groceries from the chain is an irresistible prospect. So when websites like TraderHaul.com and TJSummer.com promise $700 Trader Joe’s gift cards in exchange for easy “deals,” it certainly grabs attention. But in reality, these sites are fraudulent affiliate schemes tricking users into downloading unwanted apps and signing up for useless subscriptions. This comprehensive guide will uncover how this scam works on multiple fake reward websites so you can avoid manipulation.
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Understanding the Trader Joe’s Gift Card Scam Network
With its affordable, unique groceries and cult following, Trader Joe’s has amassed devoted brand loyalty among customers. So when websites like TraderHaul.com and TJSummer.com promise $700 Trader Joe’s gift cards in exchange for easy “deals,” fans take notice. However, these websites are not rewards programs or giveaways – they are fraudulent affiliate marketing schemes using the Trader Joe’s brand to deceive.
Upon arriving at these sites, users see prominent use of Trader Joe’s logos, fonts, images, and branding throughout. The homepage makes bold claims like “Get a $700 Trader Joe’s Gift Card!” or “Apply to Become a Trader Joe’s Product Tester Today for a $700 Reward Card!”.
The website appears convincingly professional and legitimate at first glance. A sense of urgency and scarcity is created by language claiming “limited spots available” so users feel compelled to act fast.
When visitors click call-to-action buttons to apply for the $700 card, they are asked to complete a short questionnaire collecting personal details like name, email address, phone number, and mailing address. Providing these details allows scammers to identify and target victims for the scam’s next steps.
After submitting information, users are redirected via affiliate links to secondary websites posing as rewards portals. These domains have names like Unlockrwrd.com, RewardBlastUSA.com, or RewardZoneUSA.com.
The scam websites claim users must complete just 2-3 more additional “deals” like app downloads, surveys, or purchases to claim their Trader Joe’s gift cards. In reality, these secondary websites solely exist to perpetrate affiliate marketing scams and never award any gift cards.
The required “deals” often involve:
Downloading malware-infected apps that steal data
Signing up for subscriptions that charge hidden fees
Taking online surveys that gather personal information
Making unnecessary purchases that only profit scammers
Completing these “deals” allows scammers to generate illicit affiliate commissions, steal identities, charge recurring fees, and further profit off users’ information. Meanwhile, victims are left with nothing after spending time and compromising privacy to finish the so-called deals.
These secondary sites have no affiliation with Trader Joe’s – they simply abuse the brand’s reputation to deceitfully lure fans. Despite appearing legitimate, neither the initial Trader Joe’s rewards websites or secondary deal websites intend to provide any real gift cards. The entire premise is an elaborate ruse to manipulate shoppers into enabling affiliate marketing scams.
By revealing the truth behind this deceptive network and their techniques, consumers can recognize the warning signs of such Trader Joe’s gift card scams. Validating legitimacy, protecting personal information, and using discretion when clicking unsolicited links will help users avoid enabling these schemes. Don’t let dreams of free groceries cause compromise. Stay diligent against those who would exploit your love of brands online.
How the Trader Joe’s Gift Card Scam Unfolds
While the domains change, here is how the scam universally unfolds across Trader Joe’s gift card websites:
1. You Encounter a Website Promising Trader Joe’s Gift Cards
Through social media ads, spam emails, or search results, users come across sites like TraderHaul.com, TJSummer.com, TraderGifted.com, and more.
These domains prominently use the Trader Joe’s logo and claim visitors can “become a product tester” to earn $700 in Trader Joe’s gift cards. The opportunity seems enticing given the brand’s popularity.
2. You Click “Apply Now” and Provide Basic Personal Details
Eager to claim their free gift cards, users click call-to-action buttons like “Apply Now” or “Get Started.” On the next page, a short questionnaire collects basic personal details like your email address, phone number, and name.
Providing this information allows scammers to identify and target potential victims for the scam’s next steps.
3. You are Redirected to Complete “Deals” on Secondary Sites
After submitting your details, users are redirected via affiliate links to secondary scam websites like Unlockrwrd.com or Rewardsgiantusa.com.
These sites pose as rewards portals, claiming users must complete 2-3 additional “deals” to earn their $700 Trader Joe’s gift code. In reality, they exist solely to perpetrate affiliate scams.
4. “Deals” Involve Downloading Malware Apps and Signing up for Subscriptions
The required “deals” typically include:
Downloading and installing malware-infected apps
Signing up for subscription or SMS services
Taking online surveys
Making unnecessary purchases
Completing these “deals” earns affiliate commissions for scammers while further scamming users.
5. You Provide Personal and Financial Details to Complete Deals
To download apps or purchase subscriptions, users must hand over personal and financial information. This includes credit card details, contact info, account passwords, and more.
Scammers can use this data for identity theft. It also allows them to charge hidden recurring fees for the low-quality services.
6. No Gift Card is Ever Sent After Completing Deals
Despite wasting time and compromising privacy to finish the “deals,” no $700 Trader Joe’s gift code ever materializes. These fake rewards websites have no connection to Trader Joe’s and never planned to provide gift cards.
7. You’re Left with Unwanted Charges and Malware Installs
In the end, victims are left with malware-infected devices, unwanted app downloads, useless subscriptions with recurring fees, and compromised personal information.
Meanwhile, scammers profit off illicit affiliate commissions and gain user data to perpetrate further fraud. Without caution, more scam websites can pop up exploiting the Trader Joe’s brand.
What to Do If You Are a Victim of These Scam Sites
If you suspect these fake Trader Joe’s rewards websites fooled you, act quickly to limit damages:
Report It – File complaints about the scam websites with the FTC and notify Trader Joe’s about brand misuse.
Cancel Services – If you signed up for subscriptions, cancel immediately to avoid recurring charges. Dispute any fraudulent charges.
Clean Devices – Scan all devices for malware if you downloaded any apps and delete them. Change passwords as well in case of compromises.
Monitor Accounts – Review credit reports and financial statements closely for signs of identity theft and freeze credit if needed.
Warn Others – Help prevent further victims by warning friends, family, and social media connections about these fraudulent sites.
Remaining vigilant against unbelievable free offers and verifying legitimacy is crucial to avoid falling victim to such deceptive affiliate scams.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About the $700 Trader Joe’s Gift Card Scam Sites
1. What are these Trader Joe’s gift card scam websites?
Websites like TraderHaul.com and TJSummer.com pretend to offer $700 Trader Joe’s gift cards but actually redirect users to complete affiliate “deals” earning scammers commissions.
2. How do the scam websites work?
These sites promise rewards for becoming a “product tester.” Users provide info then get redirected to offers. No gift cards are ever awarded.
3. What happens when you submit your details?
You are redirected to secondary scam sites via affiliate links to complete “deals” like downloads and surveys. These earn payouts for scammers.
4. What types of “deals” do they promote?
Typical deals include:
– Downloading malware apps – Signing up for subscriptions – Taking surveys that collect data – Making unnecessary purchases
5. Do they really give Trader Joe’s gift cards?
No. These sites are completely unaffiliated with Trader Joe’s. No rewards are ever provided after completing deals.
6. What should I do if I encounter these sites?
Avoid entering any personal details or clicking links. Report the websites to Trader Joe’s for brand misuse. Use ad blockers and be vigilant against scams.
7. What are signs it’s a Trader Joe’s gift card scam?
Warning signs include:
– Too-good-to-be-true rewards – Requests for personal info – Redirects to questionable third-party sites – Unauthorized use of brand assets – Vague “deals” language
8. What if I already gave them information?
If you provided any financial details, contact your bank immediately. Monitor your accounts closely for fraud. Get security software to check your device for malware.
9. How can I avoid these scams in the future?
Be skeptical of unsolicited brand offers requiring upfront activity. Verify legitimacy through official channels before providing info or downloads.
10. Who is behind these Trader Joe’s affiliate scams?
They are created by fraudulent affiliate marketers seeking to profit on Trader Joe’s reputation. The sites often disappear quickly once exposed.
The Bottom Line on the Trader Joe’s Gift Card Scam
In summary, websites like TraderHaul.com and TJSummer.com are completely fraudulent affiliate marketing schemes unaffiliated with Trader Joe’s. By faking $700 Trader Joe’s gift card rewards, they manipulate users into completing “deals” earning illicit commissions through app downloads and subscription sign-ups.
When exposed, this scam network demonstrates why we must approach online brand offers critically. If unbelievable rewards require upfront activity, they are likely scams. Before providing any personal information or downloading mystery apps, verify the source is real.
By revealing the truth behind these fake rewards websites, consumers can recognize warning signs and make empowered decisions. Don’t let dreams of free groceries cause you to fall victim to such deceptive affiliate marketing ploys. Stay vigilant against those seeking to profit off your loyalty to beloved brands.
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.
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.
