Scammers are aggressively promoting SampleGifted.com—a site that claims you can easily earn a $750 Costco Gift Card by following a few simple steps online. At first glance, the process looks clear: click on “Start Now”, enter your email and basic information, complete a few deals like downloading an app or taking a survey, and then claim your Costco reward. Yet, these promises immediately raise lots of warning signs.
The website pushes you to finish several deals, and many of those deals require extra payments or sign-ups that could end up costing you. Instead of real rewards and clear benefits, users may get trapped with hidden fees or expose their personal data to potential hackers. Additionally, when you click “Start Now”, it redirects you to rewardsgiantusa.com—a site that has been flagged as malicious and spam by VirusTotal. This redirection alone is a big signal that the offer is not what it seems.
If you are thinking about using SampleGifted.com or following any links from the site, stop and reconsider. Always check with trusted sources or experts before giving away your email or money. Real rewards come with clear instructions, honest offers, and solid reputation—something this site clearly lacks. Your safety online is important, and a lot of hidden dangers may lie behind these attractive promises.
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🚨 Is SampleGifted.com a Scam?
SampleGifted.com looks like a site that offers a free $750 Costco gift card. However, it uses many tricks that may end up costing you time and money. The site asks you to complete several simple tasks or deals to earn the reward. But these tasks can lead you to other sites that have been flagged as unsafe. Users are forced through many steps, which often include filling in your email, providing basic information, and completing offers that may not give you what they promise.
Key Red Flags:
- 🌐 Suspicious Redirects: When you click “START NOW”, you are sent to a different website (rewardsgiantusa.com) that has been flagged by VirusTotal as unsafe and associated with spam.
- ⭐ Over-complicated Steps: To claim your gift card, you must finish several deals that involve downloading apps, signing up for trials, or making small purchases. This makes the process confusing and hard to complete.
- 🔒 Questionable Promises: Earning a $750 gift card by just following simple steps sounds too good to be true. The progress and offers on the site give mixed signals of what you might really get, with many reports of things not working as promised.
- ⚠️ Negative Reviews and Ratings: There are low ratings on review sites like TrustPilot, and some users write about problems such as blocked access, error messages, or unpaid rewards.
- 📉 Multiple Red Flags from Other Sources: Sites like VirusTotal have identified SampleGifted.com and its partner site as malicious. Reports of being redirected to many pages without clear answers are common.
In summary, the many signs of suspicious steps, unsafe redirection, and negative feedback suggest that SampleGifted.com might be part of a scam. The use of hidden links, forced task completions, and low review ratings mean that this site is not a reliable way to earn a gift card. It is best to avoid using SampleGifted.com and rely on trusted and verified sources for rewards.
🕵️♂️ How the SampleGifted Costco Gift Card Scam Operates
Scammers behind SampleGifted lure potential victims with the tantalizing promise of a $750 Costco gift card. They deploy eye-catching banners and posts across social media, email, and online ads that boast quick cash rewards and incredible deals. The enticing claim is simple: complete a series of “deals”—such as downloading an app, signing up for a trial, or completing surveys—to claim your generous gift card. Flashy testimonials and glowing reviews, supposedly from thousands of satisfied “winners”, lend an aura of instant legitimacy to the promotion.
When users click the “START NOW” button, they are redirected to a suspicious website that masquerades as a professional rewards platform. However, a closer look reveals a hidden maze of partner offers and complicated instructions. The scam site, often linked with dubious domains like rewardsgiantusa.com, makes it hard for users to verify its true nature. Critical information is presented in images rather than text, which prevents a quick fact-check via a simple online search.
To create urgency, the scammers use phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Only a Few Gift Cards Left”, pressuring users to act without due diligence. Once victims start completing the required deals, they quickly find that each “deal” can involve unnecessary downloads, hidden fees, or even recurring charges that are difficult to cancel. The promise of instant rewards quickly turns into a time-consuming labyrinth of tasks that never culminates in the receipt of the alleged reward.
Moreover, although the rewardsgiantusa website flashes hundreds of five-star testimonials and claims that thousands have already earned their rewards, independent review platforms like TrustPilot often show a starkly different story. Victims report difficulties in cashing out their rewards, unresponsive customer service, and, in some cases, discovery of unauthorized charges on their accounts.
In essence, the SampleGifted scam preys on the hope of an easy win by promising a high-value Costco gift card. It lures users with attractive visuals, fake endorsements, and urgency tactics, only to trap them in a cycle of endless offers and non-delivery of rewards. Those who surrender their personal information and time often discover that the promised reward was nothing more than a deceptive bait designed to extract both money and trust from unsuspecting victims.
🤔 Why Such Scams Are Possible
Quick Profit Motive
The operators behind SampleGifted.com design this scam to earn money fast. They lure people with promises of a $750 Costco gift card and use simple steps to collect personal details. Once you sign up, you are led through many offers and surveys that seem real at first but are meant only to grab your information or make you spend money on extra tasks.
Loose Control on Online Ads
Even though ad platforms try to remove fake promotions, they sometimes miss scams like SampleGifted.com. This lets the scam reach many people who are looking for an easy way to get gift cards. The website even links to rewardsgiantusa.com—a domain flagged as dangerous by VirusTotal—which makes it even riskier.
Playing on Human Hopes
The scam takes advantage of people’s wish to get rewards quickly. The promise of earning a $750 gift card without much effort makes many overlook warning signs. They ignore red flags such as endless pages and confusing instructions.
Many Layers of Deceit
SampleGifted.com hides behind a complex setup. The WHOIS data is kept private and the site uses many redirects to move you to other pages. This layered approach makes it hard for anyone to easily shut down the scam or for victims to trace who is really behind it. Negative reviews, low ratings on TrustPilot, and claims of being banned after a few steps add to the warning signs.
Community Feedback and Warnings
Several users have shared their poor experiences online, warning others about issues like getting stuck on multiple pages with no clear way to receive any rewards. Reports of being banned or not receiving promised funds show that many have been let down by the scam. These complaints emphasize the importance of being very careful when something sounds too good to be true.
😱 What to Do If Scammed
If you find yourself ensnared by the SampleGifted.com Scam, immediate action is crucial. Here’s what you should consider doing:
🛑 Stop Further Transactions
The first step is to halt any additional transactions that might be in process. Contact your bank or credit card provider and inform them that you’ve fallen victim to a scam. They can help by blocking the card or reversing any unauthorized transactions.
📞 Report the Fraud
File a report with your local police and provide all the available evidence, such as screenshots, emails, and website URLs. Additionally, report the scam to online portals like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) at www.bbb.org or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If you’re in another country, reach out to your national consumer protection agency.
💻 Take Screenshots
Before the scam website gets taken down or changes, make sure to capture screenshots of your transactions and communications. These can serve as evidence if you decide to pursue legal action.
⚖️ Consult Legal Advice
Speak to a legal advisor about your situation. While pursuing legal action may be time-consuming and costly, it could be a possible avenue for recovering your lost money.
📢 Share Your Experience
Use social media platforms to share your experience and warn others about the scam. Your story could prevent someone else from falling victim to the same or similar scams.
Summary Table
Factor | Observations | Impact on Legitimacy |
---|---|---|
Offer Details | The website promises a $750 Costco Gift Card if users sign up, provide basic information, and complete several “Deals” such as downloading an app, filling out surveys, or signing up for trials. The offer is presented as an easy way to earn rewards but relies on completing multiple tasks that are not clearly explained. | Negative (Unclear reward process and unrealistic promises) |
User Reviews | Some reviews claim rewards were received while others report blocked access, error messages, and difficulties in getting paid. Reviews on independent platforms show low ratings, indicating mixed or negative experiences. | Negative (Mixed reviews and signs of dissatisfaction) |
Website Behavior & Redirects | When users click “START NOW”, they are redirected to rewardsgiantusa.com, which has been flagged as malicious. The process opens many pages and uses tactics that can lead to spam or unsafe sites. | Negative (Suspicious redirection and risky website practices) |
Domain Information & Transparency | The WHOIS details for SampleGifted.com show that the registrant information is hidden and the site is registered in India. There is little contact information provided, making it hard to verify the owner or location. | Negative (Limited transparency and hidden ownership) |
Marketing and Claim Process | The website uses aggressive language and claims to offer fast rewards. However, the reward system is confusing, and many steps are required before any rewards are given, which makes the process look manipulative. | Negative (Deceptive marketing and unclear reward system) |
Security Reports | Both SampleGifted.com and rewardsgiantusa.com have been flagged as malicious and spam by VirusTotal. These warnings suggest that the sites could be harmful or used to spread unsafe content. | Negative (Strong security warnings and risk of malware) |
Conclusion
The SampleGifted.com $750 Costco Gift Card is a scam. This deceptive scheme relies on fabricated testimonials, manipulated reviews, and misleading marketing tactics to lure unsuspecting users into spending time and potentially money on completing dubious “deals”. Despite its flashy promises of unbelievable rewards and a professional-looking website, multiple red flags indicate that the offer is designed to exploit consumers.
Scammers behind SampleGifted.com use aggressive language and urgent calls-to-action, mimicking legitimate reward programs while hiding its true nature. Reports of suspicious practices—such as blocked payouts, dubious partner links, questionable website certifications, and malware warnings—should serve as a warning. Numerous users have experienced delays, mysterious account bans, or worse, loss of personal funds, all while being led to believe they are only a few steps away from a $750 Costco gift card.
Bottom Line: Avoid the SampleGifted.com Costco Gift Card program. If an offer sounds too good to be true and depends on completing multiple, strangely specific “deals” for a high reward, it’s most likely a scam. Always verify the authenticity of such reward programs through trusted sources before engaging, and protect your personal information at all costs.