Do not trust the Chance To Win The New iPad Pro or similar scams

What is "Chance To Win The New iPad Pro"?

It is common that scammers use phishing websites to trick users into providing sensitive information. Although, it is uncommon for such pages to be visited by users intentionally.

In most cases, phishing pages get opened after clicking on shady advertisements, through other dubious pages, or by installed potentially unwanted applications (PUAs).

Most scammers use these pages to trick unsuspecting users into providing login credentials (e.g., usernames, email addresses, passwords), bank account numbers, credit card details, social security numbers, or some other sensitive, personal information.

"Chance To Win The New iPad Pro" scam overview

This particular phishing website displays a message claiming that a visitor has been selected to participate in a survey and has a chance to win an iPad Pro.

It has the "CLAIM MY IPAD PRO NOW" button on it, which leads to a "form" where a visitor is asked to enter his or her email address, telephone number, ZIP code, cardholder name, credit card number, expiry date and security code (CVV).

Therefore, it is clear that scammers behind this phishing website attempt to extract credit card details that may be misused to make fraudulent purchases, unauthorized transactions, sold on a dark web (to other cybecriminals), or misused in other way. It is worthwhile to mention that provided email address and telephone number could be used to send spam, malspam (emails containing malicious attachments, website links).

In one way or another, nobody ever wins any prizes through websites like this one. On the contrary, users who fall for such scams often become victims of identity theft, lose money, encounter issues related to online privacy, browsing safety, or other problems.

As mentioned in the first paragraph, phishing websites can be promoted through PUAs - apps that users download and install on browsers and computers unknowingly. Quite often, PUAs are designed to collect various data, generate advertisements.

Most of them target browsing-related data, for example, Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, entered search queries, geolocations, addresses of visited pages. It is important to know that apps of this type can be capable of accessing personal, sensitive data.

Either way, there is always a change that gathered data could be monetized by selling it to third parties, using it for marketing purposed, etc. Examples of ads that PUAs can generate are coupons, pop-up ads, surveys, banners. If clicked, those ads tend to open shady, potentially malicious pages.

Sometimes they execute certain scripts designed to download or even install unwanted software. These are the main reasons why browsers that open scam websites (or other untrustworthy pages) should be checked for PUAs and any installed apps of this kind should be removed as soon as possible.

Threat Summary:

Name	Chance To Win The New iPad Pro pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Visitors have been chosen to win iPad Pro
Symptoms	Suspicious bank account activities, problems while trying to access personal accounts
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Similar scam examples

The Internet is full of scam websites offering a chance to win some prize or claiming that visitors have already won and asking to provide various information. Some examples are "Chance To Win The Brand New Playstation 5", "Google Membership Rewards", "Chrome Search Contest 2021".

It is important to mention that there are similar scams used to trick unsuspecting visitors into paying "taxes," "shipping", "handling" or other charges, or paying “processing" fees to get their prize. In one way or another, websites of this type have to be ignored.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Typically, users cause unwanted downloads and installations unknowingly. Sometimes they cause it by clicking on deceptive ads that appear mostly on shady websites and are designed to run certain scripts. Although, more often users cause it during downloads or installations of other programs.

More precisely, when developers distribute PUAs using a "bundling" method. It is a method commonly used to trick users into installing or downloading PUAs together with other programs. In such cases, PUAs are included in downloaders, installers of other programs as additional offers.

Those offers be found in "Custom", "Advanced" and other similar settings or near alongside checkboxes and declined there. However, not all users change those settings. When they leave those settings unchanged, they allow for PUAs to be downloaded or installed together with desired programs.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Applications, files should be downloaded from official, trustworthy websites (or App Store), and via direct links. It is common that unwanted software is distributed using third party downloaders, Peer-to-Peer networks (like torrent clients, eMule), questionable websites.

Therefore, other sources for downloading files, apps should not be used. It is important to mention that third-party installers can be used to distribute unwanted software too.

Furthermore, downloads and installations should should not be finished without checking downloaders, installers for settings like "Advanced", "Custom" and seeing if they can be used to decline unwanted offers (opt out bundled applications).

Advertisements appearing on untrustworthy websites tend to open other pages of this kind or even download, install unwanted software. Therefore, it is recommended not to click on those ads as well.

Unwanted, suspicious extensions, plug-ins or add-ons installed on a browser and programs of this kind installed on the operating system should be removed. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

The appearance of "Chance To Win The New iPad Pro" scam pop-up scam (GIF):

Text in the deceptive message:

Congratulations!
You Have Been Selected
main
Get a chance to win the brand new iPad Pro,
included in the lovedates Trial

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Quick menu:

• What is Chance To Win The New iPad Pro 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams are messages designed to trick users into disclosing sensitive information, downloading/installing and/or purchasing applications, making monetary transactions, calling fake support lines, or performing other actions.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Cyber criminals use pop-up scams to generate revenue. They can profit by obtaining funds through deception, abusing or selling private data, promoting software, spreading malware, etc.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by a scam, what should I do?

If you have revealed account credentials - change the passwords of all potentially compromised accounts and inform their official support without delay. And if you've disclosed other private data (e.g., ID card details, credit card numbers, etc.) - immediately contact the relevant authorities.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are run on deceptive websites. Most users enter them via redirects caused by sites using rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads, mistyped URLs, spam browser notifications, or installed adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to scan visited websites and detect deceptive and malicious ones. In addition to displaying warnings when such sites are entered, Combo Cleaner can block all further access to them.

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