Referral spam redirecting to Heavengifts(.)com by a web link, called Quit-smoking(.)ga has been reported to increase rapidly. The referral spam is believed to spread via a combination of Web Crawlers as well as Ghost Referral spam bots. It is highly recommended for all affected users who have visited the website Quit-Smoking(.)ga to take actions against it and its spam on their sites.
| Name | .ga Referrer Domains |
| Type | Referral Spam |
| Short Description | The domain may cause one or more malicious redirects to different websites. |
| Symptoms | The user may witness primarily redirects to Heavengifts(.)com as well as redirects to other online retailer phishing websites that aim for his/her information or money. |
| Distribution Method | Via Spam bots (Web Crawlers and Ghost Referrers) |
| Detection Tool | Download Malware Removal Tool, to See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware |
| User Experience | Join our forum to discuss about .ga Referrer Spam Domains. |
.Ga Referral Spam – How Is It Spread
Similar to other referral spams, Quit-Smoking(.)ga referral spam and other links redirecting to Heavengifts(.)com are spread via two main spamming technologies:
Web Crawlers Spam
This particular type of spam is called spiders or crawlers because it essentially crawls through the Web looking for websites based on a preset criteria. This type of spam is not aggressive, and it usually backs away after being flagged as spam once. However, there may be some advanced spammers that may configure it to become more persistent, so beware.
Ghost Referral Spam
This is the most widely chosen type of spam, research by ohow.com suggests. Also, according to Ben Travis at viget.com, this type of spam may use different technologies to target Google Analytics and hence devaluate the statistical data. In case you notice sudden spikes in your data, you may be almost certain that some of it might be by Ghost Referral spam. What is more, the spam uses different technologies such as taking advantage of the HTTP pass-through connection. Furthermore, Ghost Referral spam in most cases contains features that enable it to spam while not even directly present on the victim website. This makes it impossible to block the spam by blocking the domain name to access it. However, there are other methods to deal with it, outlined after this article.
Heavengifts(.)com In Detail
Usually referrer spam such as Quit-Smoking(.)ga and Cyber-Monday(.)ga may be created with a purpose to generate web traffic to the website via spam and hence make money from the products being sold on the online retailer site. Here you may find more information and instructions to block referral spam by Cyber-Monday(.)ga.The websites both may redirect to Heavengifts(.)com.
Furthermore, the website itself features some interesting privacy policy claims, especially concerning users` information:
Also, when the goods of the website were checked, it was visible that it offered some products at a higher price. The domains Cyber-Monday(.)ga and Quit-Smoking(.)ga may redirect to different parts of this website, more specifically to the parts on the same theme (smoking or tech products). However their redirects seem to change constantly, this is why users should beware of any spam messages featuring similar web links since they might cause more than one redirects and end up infecting users who visit them.
Also, .ga domain spam has been reported to link to other phishing websites, such as fake AliExpress sites as well as phishing Alibaba domains.
As far as security researchers are concerned this may or may not be a legitimate website looking forward to boosting its traffic via referral spam. However, you should beware of websites such as Quit-Smoking(.)ga and Cyber-Monday(.)ga, and any similar .ga domain spam messages because you might end up with malware on your computer. However, the reality may be completely different – the site may be phishing for the user`s information and gaining profit from it and also may serve other interests, that may not be morally acceptable. This is why its blocking is advisable.
Block Spam by Suspicious .ga Domains
There are many methods to block both types of spam from entering your website, and we have managed to research some of them. Below you can find the three main methods to deal with Web Crawlers as well as Ghost Referral spam as well as a hotlink to five more methods. We recommend applying all methods in combination to get rid of this spam fully.
In order to remove this referral spam completely, make sure to follow the after-mentioned instructions:
Method 1: Filtering .ga Referrer Domains Spam in Google Analytics:
Step 1: Click on the ‘Admin’ tab on your GA web page.
Step 2: Choose which ‘View’ is to be filtered and then click the ‘Filters’ button.
Step 3: Click on ‘New Filter’.
Step 4: Write a name, such as ‘Spam Referrals’.
Step 5: On Filter Type choose Custom Filter –>Exclude Filter –> Field: Campaign Source–> Filter Pattern. Then on the Pattern, enter the domain name – .ga Referrer Domains
Step 6: Select Views to Apply Filter.
Step 7: Save the filter, by clicking on the ‘Save’ button.
You are done! Congratulations!
Also, make sure you check out these several methods to help you further block out this referrer spam from Google Analytics:
More Methods To Stop Spam Bots and Spiders In Google Analytics
We have also researched the following methods to remove this spam:
Method 2: Block .ga Referrer Domains from your server.
In case you have a server that is Apache HTTP Server, you may want to try the following commands to block .ga Referrer Domains domains in the .htaccess file:
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} ^https://.*Heavengifts \.com/ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} ^https://.*Quit-Smoking \.ga/ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} ^https://.*Cyber-Monday \.ga/ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} ^https://.*Quit-Smoking \-for\-website\.ga/ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} ^https://.*Cyber-Monday \-for\-website\.ga/ [NC,OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} ^https://.*Heavengifts \-for\-website\.com/ [NC,OR]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ – [F,L]
Also here is a web link to some spam URLs being blacklisted from other servers:
Ultimate Referrer Blacklist by Perishablepress.com
Disclaimer: This type of domain blocking in Apache servers has not yet been tested and it should be done by experienced professionals. Backup is always recommended.
Method 3 – Stop .ga Referrer Domains Via WordPress
There is a method outlined by security researchers online that uses WordPress plugins to block referrer spams from sites. There are many plugins that help deal with referrer spam, simply do a google search. We have currently seen one particular plugin reported to work, called WP-Ban, but bear in mind that you may find an equally good or better. WP-Ban has the ability to block users based on their IP address and other information such as the URL, for example.
Also, in case you feel like you may have clicked and been redirected to one of the domains mentioned in the spam message, and you believe your system may be compromised, you should scan your computer with a particular anti-malware tool. Downloading such software will also make sure your computer is safe against any future intrusions as well.
Spy Hunter scanner will only detect the threat. If you want the threat to be automatically removed, you need to purchase the full version of the anti-malware tool.Find Out More About SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool / How to Uninstall SpyHunter
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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- Windows
- Mac OS X
- Google Chrome
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- Microsoft Edge
- Safari
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- Stop Push Pop-ups
How to Remove .ga Referrer Domains from Windows.
Step 1: Scan for .ga Referrer Domains with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode
Step 3: Uninstall .ga Referrer Domains and related software from Windows
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 4: Clean Any registries, Created by .ga Referrer Domains on Your PC.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by .ga Referrer Domains there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Video Removal Guide for .ga Referrer Domains (Windows).
Get rid of .ga Referrer Domains from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall .ga Referrer Domains and remove related files and objects
Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to .ga Referrer Domains. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove .ga Referrer Domains via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Scan for and remove .ga Referrer Domains files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as .ga Referrer Domains, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Video Removal Guide for .ga Referrer Domains (Mac)
Remove .ga Referrer Domains from Google Chrome.
Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"
Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Erase .ga Referrer Domains from Mozilla Firefox.
Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window:
Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.
Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Uninstall .ga Referrer Domains from Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Start Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".
Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Remove .ga Referrer Domains from Safari
Step 1: Start the Safari app.
Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.
Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".
Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.
Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.
Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the .ga Referrer Domains will be removed.
Eliminate .ga Referrer Domains from Internet Explorer.
Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'
Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.
Step 4: Select the extension you want to remove and then click 'Disable'. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click 'Disable'.
Step 5: After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red 'X' button located at the top right corner and start it again.
Remove Push Notifications from Your Browsers
Turn Off Push Notifications from Google Chrome
To disable any Push Notices from Google Chrome browser, please follow the steps below:
Step 1: Go to Settings in Chrome.
Step 2: In Settings, select “Advanced Settings”:
Step 3: Click “Content Settings”:
Step 4: Open “Notifications”:
Step 5: Click the three dots and choose Block, Edit or Remove options:
Remove Push Notifications on Firefox
Step 1: Go to Firefox Options.
Step 2: Go to “Settings”, type “notifications” in the search bar and click "Settings":
Step 3: Click “Remove” on any site you wish notifications gone and click “Save Changes”
Stop Push Notifications on Opera
Step 1: In Opera, press ALT+P to go to Settings.
Step 2: In Setting search, type “Content” to go to Content Settings.
Step 3: Open Notifications:
Step 4: Do the same as you did with Google Chrome (explained below):
Eliminate Push Notifications on Safari
Step 1: Open Safari Preferences.
Step 2: Choose the domain from where you like push pop-ups gone and change to "Deny" from "Allow".
.ga Referrer Domains-FAQ
What Is .ga Referrer Domains?
The .ga Referrer Domains threat is adware or browser redirect virus.
It may slow your computer down significantly and display advertisements. The main idea is for your information to likely get stolen or more ads to appear on your device.
The creators of such unwanted apps work with pay-per-click schemes to get your computer to visit risky or different types of websites that may generate them funds. This is why they do not even care what types of websites show up on the ads. This makes their unwanted software indirectly risky for your OS.
What Are the Symptoms of .ga Referrer Domains?
There are several symptoms to look for when this particular threat and also unwanted apps in general are active:
Symptom #1: Your computer may become slow and have poor performance in general.
Symptom #2: You have toolbars, add-ons or extensions on your web browsers that you don't remember adding.
Symptom #3: You see all types of ads, like ad-supported search results, pop-ups and redirects to randomly appear.
Symptom #4: You see installed apps on your Mac running automatically and you do not remember installing them.
Symptom #5: You see suspicious processes running in your Task Manager.
If you see one or more of those symptoms, then security experts recommend that you check your computer for viruses.
What Types of Unwanted Programs Are There?
According to most malware researchers and cyber-security experts, the threats that can currently affect your device can be rogue antivirus software, adware, browser hijackers, clickers, fake optimizers and any forms of PUPs.
What to Do If I Have a "virus" like .ga Referrer Domains?
With few simple actions. First and foremost, it is imperative that you follow these steps:
Step 1: Find a safe computer and connect it to another network, not the one that your Mac was infected in.
Step 2: Change all of your passwords, starting from your email passwords.
Step 3: Enable two-factor authentication for protection of your important accounts.
Step 4: Call your bank to change your credit card details (secret code, etc.) if you have saved your credit card for online shopping or have done online activities with your card.
Step 5: Make sure to call your ISP (Internet provider or carrier) and ask them to change your IP address.
Step 6: Change your Wi-Fi password.
Step 7: (Optional): Make sure to scan all of the devices connected to your network for viruses and repeat these steps for them if they are affected.
Step 8: Install anti-malware software with real-time protection on every device you have.
Step 9: Try not to download software from sites you know nothing about and stay away from low-reputation websites in general.
If you follow these recommendations, your network and all devices will become significantly more secure against any threats or information invasive software and be virus free and protected in the future too.
How Does .ga Referrer Domains Work?
Once installed, .ga Referrer Domains can collect data using trackers. This data is about your web browsing habits, such as the websites you visit and the search terms you use. It is then used to target you with ads or to sell your information to third parties.
.ga Referrer Domains can also download other malicious software onto your computer, such as viruses and spyware, which can be used to steal your personal information and show risky ads, that may redirect to virus sites or scams.
Is .ga Referrer Domains Malware?
The truth is that PUPs (adware, browser hijackers) are not viruses, but may be just as dangerous since they may show you and redirect you to malware websites and scam pages.
Many security experts classify potentially unwanted programs as malware. This is because of the unwanted effects that PUPs can cause, such as displaying intrusive ads and collecting user data without the user’s knowledge or consent.
About the .ga Referrer Domains Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this .ga Referrer Domains how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific, adware-related problem, and restore your browser and computer system.
How did we conduct the research on .ga Referrer Domains?
Please note that our research is based on independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware, adware, and browser hijacker definitions.
Furthermore, the research behind the .ga Referrer Domains threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand this online threat, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.