Avoid being scammed by the driveandparkgame.com deceptive website

What is driveandparkgame[.]com?

driveandparkgame[.]com is a deceptive website running various scams. At the time of research, it promoted a scheme claiming that visitors' devices have been seriously damaged by multiple viruses. Typically, these sites promote untrusted or malicious software, however, they can abuse users' trust in other ways as well.

Few visitors access driveandparkgame[.]com or similar web pages intentionally - most are redirected to them by intrusive ads or Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs).

The scam run on driveandparkgame[.]com is primarily targeted at iPhone users, however, it might also be accessed (i.e. users might be redirected to it) on other Apple products. This scheme displays a pop-up, which claims that visitors' iPhones have been seriously damaged by thirteen viruses.

The background page states that the damage suffered by the devices is at 28.1%. The dangerous infections supposedly originated from recently visited adult websites. Should no action be taken immediately, the [nonexistent] viruses will corrupt the iPhone's SIM card, damage the apps installed on it, delete saved contacts and data stored in the device.

To avoid further damage, visitors are urged to follow the instructions provided by this scam. Usually, schemes of this kind promote untrusted software (e.g. fake anti-virus tools, adware, browser hijackers and other PUAs) or malware (e.g. Trojans, ransomware, etc.).

In other cases, the scams attempt to trick users into calling fake and expensive technical support lines, request payment for "services rendered" or other bogus reasons. These schemes might also demand personal information such as names, addresses, telephone numbers, emails, bank account or credit card details, etc.

No site can detect threats/issues present on a device, and any that make such claims are scams. To summarize, trusting driveandparkgame[.]com or other such scams can result in system infections, financial loss, serious privacy issues and even identity theft.

One of the main causes behind rogue redirects are PUAs. They can force-open promotional/sale-based, untrusted, deceptive/scam, compromised and malicious websites, however, these applications can have other capabilities.

Adware-types can deliver intrusive ad campaigns (i.e. enable the placement of pop-ups, banners, coupons and other ads, typically on any visited web page). The advertisements overlay web page content and reduce browsing speed. When clicked, intrusive ads redirect to dubious/malicious sites and some can stealthily download/install unwanted software.

Another type categorized as browser hijackers modify browser settings to promote fake search engines. Rogue search engines have no real value, as they are rarely capable of providing unique results - they simply redirect to Google, Yahoo, Bing and other genuine search engines.

Furthermore, most PUAs have data tracking capabilities. They can monitor browsing activity (URLs visited, search queries typed, etc.) and gather personal information extracted from it (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). This sensitive data is often monetized by sharing with and/or selling to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals).

The presence of unwanted applications on systems poses a significant threat to device and user safety. Therefore, you are strongly advised to remove all suspicious apps and browser extensions/plug-ins without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	driveandparkgame.com pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Fake Claim	Scam claims visitors' iPhones have been damaged by 13 viruses.
Serving IP Address	68.183.75.52
Symptoms	Your Mac becomes slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you are redirected to dubious websites.
Distribution methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake Flash Player installers, torrent file downloads.
Damage	Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious websites, loss of private information.
Malware Removal (Mac)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your Mac with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner for Mac To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Extrasafe.xyz, captcha244.ga and hastopnet.com are some examples of web pages similar to driveandparkgame[.]com. These online scams use social engineering and scare tactics to trick users into performing specific actions.

Popular scam models include warnings that the device is infected or at risk, alerts that a piece of essential software is outdated or missing, fake prize giveaways, "unbelievable" deals and offers, etc. Regardless of what these schemes claim, offer, request or demand, the purpose is identical: to generate revenue to the scammers/cyber criminals behind them.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Some PUAs have "official" download pages, which are often promoted by deceptive/scam sites, however, these apps are more commonly downloaded/installed together with other software. This rogue marketing technique of pre-packing regular products with unwanted or malicious additions is termed "bundling".

Rushing download/installation processes (e.g. ignored terms, skipped steps and sections, etc.) increases the risk of inadvertent installation of dubious and/or bundled content. Intrusive ads proliferate these applications as well. Once clicked, they can execute scripts designed to download/install PUAs without users' permission.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

Research all products before download/installation. Use official and verified download channels. Untrusted sources such as unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks and other third party downloaders can offer deceptive and bundled content.

When downloading/installing, read the terms, explore all available options, use the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings and opt-out of additional apps, tools, features, and so on. It is also important to exercise caution when browsing.

Intrusive advertisements may seem normal and harmless, however, they can redirect to dubious web pages (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.). If you encounter ads/redirects of this kind, check the system and remove all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately.

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

Text presented in the scam promoted by driveandparkgame[.]com:

Pop-up:

 

YOUR IPHONE IS SEVERLY DAMAGED BY (13) VIRUSES
Repair Now

 

-------------------

 

Background:

Your iPhone is severly damaged by (13) viruses

 

We've noticed that your iPhone is 28.1% damaged by (13) harmful viruses from recent adult sites. It wil soon corrupt your iPhone's SIM card and damage your contacts, photos, data, and applications.

 

If you don't remove the virus now, it will cause serious damage to your iPhone. Here's what you need to do (step by step)

To enable pop-up blocking, fraudulent website warnings, and remove web browsing data in mobile Apple devices, follow these steps:

First, go to "Settings", and then scroll down to find and tap "Safari".

Check if the "Block Pop-ups" and "Fraudulent Website Warning" toggles are enabled. If not, enable them immediately. Then, scroll down and tap "Advanced".

Tap "Website Data" and then "Remove All Website Data".

Instant automatic Mac malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of Mac malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner for Mac By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is "driveandparkgame[.]com"?
• STEP 1. Remove PUA related files and folders from OSX.
• STEP 2. Remove rogue extensions from Safari.
• STEP 3. Remove rogue add-ons from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove potentially unwanted plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox.

Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:

Potentially unwanted applications removal:

Remove potentially unwanted applications from your "Applications" folder:

Click the Finder icon. In the Finder window, select "Applications". In the applications folder, look for "MPlayerX","NicePlayer", or other suspicious applications and drag them to the Trash. After removing the potentially unwanted application(s) that cause online ads, scan your Mac for any remaining unwanted components.

Remove adware-related files and folders

Click the Finder icon, from the menu bar. Choose Go, and click Go to Folder...

Check for adware generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents/ folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchAgents/

In the "LaunchAgents" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the exact same string.

Check for adware generated files in the ~/Library/Application Support/ folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: ~/Library/Application Support/

In the "Application Support" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious folders. For example, "MplayerX" or "NicePlayer", and move these folders to the Trash.

Check for adware generated files in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents/ folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/

In the "LaunchAgents" folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - "installmac.AppRemoval.plist", "myppes.download.plist", "mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist", "kuklorest.update.plist", etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the exact same string.

Check for adware generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons/ folder:

In the "Go to Folder..." bar, type: /Library/LaunchDaemons/

In the "LaunchDaemons" folder, look for recently-added suspicious files. For example "com.aoudad.net-preferences.plist", "com.myppes.net-preferences.plist", "com.kuklorest.net-preferences.plist", "com.avickUpd.plist", etc., and move them to the Trash.

Scan your Mac with Combo Cleaner:

If you have followed all the steps correctly, your Mac should be clean of infections. To ensure your system is not infected, run a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus. Download it HERE. After downloading the file, double click combocleaner.dmg installer. In the opened window, drag and drop the Combo Cleaner icon on top of the Applications icon. Now open your launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon. Wait until Combo Cleaner updates its virus definition database and click the "Start Combo Scan" button.

Combo Cleaner will scan your Mac for malware infections. If the antivirus scan displays "no threats found" - this means that you can continue with the removal guide; otherwise, it's recommended to remove any found infections before continuing.

After removing files and folders generated by the adware, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.

Remove malicious extensions from Internet browsers

Remove malicious Safari extensions:

Open the Safari browser, from the menu bar, select "Safari" and click "Preferences...".

In the preferences window, select "Extensions" and look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions. When located, click the "Uninstall" button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Safari browser - none are crucial for regular browser operation.

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

Remove malicious extensions from Mozilla Firefox:

Click the Firefox menu (at the top right corner of the main window) and select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.

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