Avoid getting scammed by yourchances.net

What is yourchances[.]net?

Yourchances[.]net is a scam website. It runs a scam, which claims that visitors' have been chosen to take place in a survey, which can earn them a prize in the shape if an Apple iPhone X. However, other scam models are also possible, for example ones pushing illegitimate software updates, fake anti-virus programs, etc.

This deceptive site is designed to promote various untrustworthy and even malicious webpages. Most users enter yourchances[.]net inadvertently, via redirects caused by intrusive ads or by PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications), already infiltrated into the system.

The first thing yourchances[.]net does is display a pop-up window, stating that users are today's lucky visitor. It requests them to complete a short survey.

Answering these questions can lead them to receiving an Apple iPhone X. Pressing "OK", presents users with the multi-choice survey, consisting of four questions: "How often do you use Chrome?", "How satisfied were you with the previous versions of Chrome?", "Which other web browser do you use?" and "How often do you use the Internet?".

The text above the questions, states that it is the 2018 Annual Visitor Survey, the Browser Opinion survey - though the initial pop-up displays the actual date of the visit, which is years off in the tagline. After the survey is completed, yourchances[.]net loads a different page.

The text therein thanks users for their participation and claims to be currently reviewing the prize inventory for a suitable gift to showcase gratitude. Following this, the next page lists what prizes are available and even a comment window, containing reviews of other "winners".

When users click on the gift they desire - it redirects them to some untrustworthy, rogue, compromised, deceptive/scam or even malicious website. There are other variants of scams run on yourchances[.]net, for example "wheel of fortune" prize giveaways and potentially scams claiming a crucial piece of software is outdated, the device is at risk and so on.

Regardless of what claims yourchances[.]net makes - it is not to be trusted, visiting it is likely to lead users to encountering dubious and/or malicious content.

Aside from force-opening sites like yourchances[.]net, PUAs can redirect to other deceptive, unreliable and malicious pages. Unwanted applications can also run intrusive advertisement campaigns, i.e. deliver browsing quality diminishing and harmful ads.

Adverts of this kind, when clicked - redirect to likewise dangerous webpages and some can stealthily download/install content (e.g. PUAs). Other types of PUA can make unauthorized changes to browsers, restrict access to their settings and promote fake search engines. It is not uncommon for unwanted apps to have data tracking abilities.

They can record users' browsing habits (URLs visited, search queries typed, etc.) and collect their personal information (IP addresses, geolocations and real-life details). This private data can then be shared with third parties, seeking to misuse it for profit (potentially, by putting it to criminal use).

In summary, PUAs can cause browser and system infiltrations/infections, result in severe privacy issues, financial losses and even identity theft. Therefore, to protect device and user safety - all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	yourchances.net pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Site claims users can win a prize (other scam models are possible).
Symptoms	Fake error messages, fake system warnings, pop-up errors, hoax computer scan.
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible malware infections.
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"Dear [ISP name] user, Congratulations!", "SPECIAL AWARD FROM OUR SPONSORS", "Like Of The Year" are examples of scams similar to yourchances[.]net. Through the use of social engineering and scare-tactics, these scams are designed to trick users into performing specific actions.

For example, visiting questionable sites, revealing personal information (e.g. banking account or credit card credentials), downloading/installing/purchasing untrustworthy/malicious content and so on. The only purpose of such scams is to generate revenue for their designers at users' expense.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

The most common mode of PUA proliferation is via download/installation setups of other programs. "Bundling" is the name of this false marketing method of pre-packing regular content with unwanted or malicious software.

Rushed download/installation processes (e.g. ignored terms, skipped steps, used pre-set options, etc.) - endangers systems with potential infiltrations and infections.

PUAs can also have "official" download pages, which are commonly promoted by various scams. When clicked on, intrusive adverts can execute scripts, designed to download/install PUAs without user permission.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is important to research products, prior to downloading/installing them. Users are urged to only use official and verified download channels. It is ill-advised to use free-file hosting websites, P2P sharing networks (BitTorrent, eMule, Gnutella, etc.) and other third party downloaders - as these sources are deemed to be untrustworthy.

Download and installation processes must be approached with caution. Therefore, users should read terms, explore all available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" options and opt-out from downloading/installing additional apps, tools, features and other supplementary content. Intrusive advertisements rarely look suspicious, they appear legitimate and innocuous.

However, they redirect to highly questionable webpages, such as gambling, pornography, adult-dating and others. In case of encounters with ads/redirects of this kind, it is strongly advised to inspect the device and immediately remove all dubious applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins.

If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Text presented in yourchances[.]net pop-up:

Dear Chrome user,

You are today’s lucky visitor for: January 9, 2020

Please complete this short survey and to say “Thank You” we’ll give you a chance to get a Apple Iphone X !

Screenshots of the survey:

Text presented at the top of these pages:

Congratulations!
You’ve been personally selected to take part in our 2018 Annual Visitor Survey! Tell us what you think of Chrome and to say “Thank You” you’ll receive a chance to get a Apple Iphone X !

Survey questions:

How often do you use Chrome

 

How satisfied were you with the previous versions of Chrome

 

Which other web browser do you use?

 

How often do you use the Internet?

Screenshot of the page displayed after the survey is complete:

Text presented in this page:

That's it, all done! Thank you for your participation.

As we submit the answers to your questions, we are checking our inventory to see what we can offer you as a way of saying "thank you" for answering our survey questions.

Screenshot of the page for accepting the prize:

Text presented in this page:

Thank you for your participation, we have the following products today: Thursday , January 9, 2020 .
You may choose only ( 1 ) product from the list below.
...    
Apple Iphone X

The appearance of yourchances[.]net scam (GIF):

The appearance of another variant of yourchances[.]net scam (GIF):

Appearance of geturprize[.]com website which is completely identical to yourchances[.]net:

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Quick menu:

• What is yourchances.net pop-up?
• How to identify a pop-up scam?
• How do pop-up scams work?
• How to remove fake pop-ups?
• How to prevent fake pop-ups?
• What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

How to identify a pop-up scam?

Pop-up windows with various fake messages are a common type of lures cybercriminals use. They collect sensitive personal data, trick Internet users into calling fake tech support numbers, subscribe to useless online services, invest in shady cryptocurrency schemes, etc.

While in the majority of cases these pop-ups don't infect users' devices with malware, they can cause direct monetary loss or could result in identity theft.

Cybercriminals strive to create their rogue pop-up windows to look trustworthy, however, scams typically have the following characteristics:

• Spelling mistakes and non-professional images - Closely inspect the information displayed in a pop-up. Spelling mistakes and unprofessional images could be a sign of a scam.
• Sense of urgency - Countdown timer with a couple of minutes on it, asking you to enter your personal information or subscribe to some online service.
• Statements that you won something - If you haven't participated in a lottery, online competition, etc., and you see a pop-up window stating that you won.
• Computer or mobile device scan - A pop-up window that scans your device and informs of detected issues - is undoubtedly a scam; webpages cannot perform such actions.
• Exclusivity - Pop-up windows stating that only you are given secret access to a financial scheme that can quickly make you rich.

Example of a pop-up scam:

How do pop-up scams work?

Cybercriminals and deceptive marketers usually use various advertising networks, search engine poisoning techniques, and shady websites to generate traffic to their pop-ups. Users land on their online lures after clicking on fake download buttons, using a torrent website, or simply clicking on an Internet search engine result.

Based on users' location and device information, they are presented with a scam pop-up. Lures presented in such pop-ups range from get-rich-quick schemes to fake virus scans.

How to remove fake pop-ups?

In most cases, pop-up scams do not infect users' devices with malware. If you encountered a scam pop-up, simply closing it should be enough. In some cases scam, pop-ups may be hard to close; in such cases - close your Internet browser and restart it.

In extremely rare cases, you might need to reset your Internet browser. For this, use our instructions explaining how to reset Internet browser settings.

How to prevent fake pop-ups?

To prevent seeing pop-up scams, you should visit only reputable websites. Torrent, Crack, free online movie streaming, YouTube video download, and other websites of similar reputation commonly redirect Internet users to pop-up scams.

To minimize the risk of encountering pop-up scams, you should keep your Internet browsers up-to-date and use reputable anti-malware application. For this purpose, we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.

What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

This depends on the type of scam that you fell for. Most commonly, pop-up scams try to trick users into sending money, giving away personal information, or giving access to one's device.

• If you sent money to scammers: You should contact your financial institution and explain that you were scammed. If informed promptly, there's a chance to get your money back.
• If you gave away your personal information: You should change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication in all online services that you use. Visit Federal Trade Commission to report identity theft and get personalized recovery steps.
• If you let scammers connect to your device: You should scan your computer with reputable anti-malware (we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows) - cyber criminals could have planted trojans, keyloggers, and other malware, don't use your computer until removing possible threats.
• Help other Internet users: report Internet scams to Federal Trade Commission.

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