Topic: Amazon Rewards redirect (Read 1818 times)

Rick Popham · « **on:** October 08, 2018, 07:37:15 am »

LuLa’s main site has become almost unusable to me on my iPad because of constant redirects to an Amazon Gift Reward page. Is anyone else affected by this?

Looking for solutions on the Apple forums, it seems that these redirects are not likely due to malware residing on my device, but are fed through the servers that push advertisements to the site. And indeed, I also get hit when I go to Petapixel, which also hosts a zillion ads.

I’ve tried all the suggestions — clearing the web data, etc. I just now killed the use of JavaScript, but I suspect that will affect some of the other sites I visit. It was suggested on the Apple forum to notify the website on which this is happening so they could look into the advertising feed —- is there some way you guys could check this out?

Kevin Raber · « **Reply #1 on:** October 08, 2018, 08:14:25 am »

This is the first I have heard about this. We do everything we can to make sure things like you describe don't happen. I doubt very much it has anything to do with our ads. Most are hosted ads and the one ad server we have has a lot of filtering on it. I have experienced what you are describing using certain news sites. I'll speak with my developers and see what they have to say about this. I would suggest clearing your browser cache and also see if the problem persists using another browser. PM me some screenshots if you can of what the ads are looking like as well as the browser and OS info. Thanks.

Rob C · « **Reply #2 on:** October 08, 2018, 08:37:56 am »

Quote from: Rick Popham on October 08, 2018, 07:37:15 am

LuLa’s main site has become almost unusable to me on my iPad because of constant redirects to an Amazon Gift Reward page. Is anyone else affected by this?

Looking for solutions on the Apple forums, it seems that these redirects are not likely due to malware residing on my device, but are fed through the servers that push advertisements to the site. And indeed, I also get hit when I go to Petapixel, which also hosts a zillion ads.

I’ve tried all the suggestions — clearing the web data, etc. I just now killed the use of JavaScript, but I suspect that will affect some of the other sites I visit. It was suggested on the Apple forum to notify the website on which this is happening so they could look into the advertising feed —- is there some way you guys could check this out?

I used to be plagued with tapatalk crap when I used to attempt to access LuLa from my cellphone when out and about. Now, I use the cellphone only for calls and texting, and the iPad altenative seems pretty good for Internet purposes. Perhaps the basic problem is that the concept of a free Internet is not sustainable and we will eventually have to sign up with, and pay, a network of sorts that will then deliver the Internet clean of distractions and annoying, incidental advertising noise.

I was with Petapixel for a short while because they have a good collection of photographer material; however, I was getting so many references on my e-mail to so much male model stuff "which I might also like" that I cancelled the connection. I have no idea why they though I might be interested in the gay world; I am not, and the only photographers on their site that interested me were those shooting female fashion. Damn them and their arrogance and marketing greed. I lost a good source all for nothing but unwanted messaging that both embarrassed and annoyed me.

Rob

Rick Popham · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2018, 09:50:27 am »

Quote from: Kevin Raber on October 08, 2018, 08:14:25 am

This is the first I have heard about this. We do everything we can to make sure things like you describe don't happen. I doubt very much it has anything to do with our ads. Most are hosted ads and the one ad server we have has a lot of filtering on it. I have experienced what you are describing using certain news sites. I'll speak with my developers and see what they have to say about this. I would suggest clearing your browser cache and also see if the problem persists using another browser. PM me some screenshots if you can of what the ads are looking like as well as the browser and OS info. Thanks.

Thanks Kevin,

This happens on my iPad running iOS 12 using safari as a browser. This is the information I found on the Apple forum:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8220208

I just now got a screen capture, but I don’t know how to post it. I assume I have to host it somewhere first? Or maybe I could email it to your support team?

Slobodan Blagojevic · « **Reply #4 on:** October 08, 2018, 10:15:41 am »

Quote from: Rick Popham on October 08, 2018, 09:50:27 am

... I just now got a screen capture, but I don’t know how to post it. I assume I have to host it somewhere first?...

One way is to host it somewhere, yes. But there is a simpler way - attach it to your reply:

Rick Popham · « **Reply #5 on:** October 08, 2018, 12:24:48 pm »

Thanks, Slobodan!
Giving it a try...

Rick Popham · « **Reply #6 on:** October 08, 2018, 12:52:47 pm »

Incidentally, I went to the App Store and installed the Chrome browser. The redirect appeared almost immediately after I went to the article on Aurora, and I wasn’t logged in to LuLa. So, both Safari and Chrome.

One of the recommendations is to put the iPad in airplane mode, go to Settings/Safari/Advanced and clear the web data and history. Then shut down Safari with the double click swipe, power down and restart. When I power back up and turn off airplane mode I go to settings/Safari and check the web data — there is nothing listed. I start up Safari, go to Lula and, within seconds, get hit by this redirect. I clear it and shut down Safari, then check the web data in Settings. There are +/- 40 listings (including my friend “luckstarclub”) that appear under luminous-landscape.com — all stuff that gets loaded within seconds of entering the LuLa home page. This seems excessive, but I admit that I don’t know much about this stuff and if it’s normal.

Here’s a different iteration:

Slobodan Blagojevic · « **Reply #7 on:** October 08, 2018, 12:54:27 pm »

It happened many times to me, though never on this site. Usually, it happens when following news links from Facebook or news aggregators.

Rick Popham · « **Reply #8 on:** October 08, 2018, 12:59:48 pm »

I do follow links from the news sites, but l’m not on any of the social media sites. I also continuously get the Tapatalk spam when I access this forum. Not sure how to get rid of that, either.

stevenfr · « **Reply #9 on:** October 08, 2018, 02:24:51 pm »

I got the same message while away on a shoot. Just back for a few days and have not received it. I thought it might have to do with the router from the hotel we were staying in.

Rick Popham · « **Reply #10 on:** October 08, 2018, 04:55:23 pm »

I wish I knew more about how this stuff works. Searching online, nobody seems to know how to stop this. But most of the credible explanations have to do with the way ads are served. They must latch onto whatever browsing history I have or something. But it happens when I clear all data and history, and even when I try I different brand new browser. Maybe they've latched onto the MAC address of my iPad. I guess it's not surprising when you look at all the crap that gets access from just a few seconds of exposure to the LuLa home page.

Slobodan Blagojevic · « **Reply #11 on:** October 09, 2018, 12:36:41 am »

I just tried reading Kevin’s article on a backpack on my iPad, and was immediately greeted with that Amazon redirect. The same when visiting the home page.

LesPalenik · « **Reply #12 on:** October 09, 2018, 01:07:12 am »

I've never seen such an ad, when accessing Lula using Opera browser from Canada.

Dave Rosser · « **Reply #13 on:** October 09, 2018, 05:00:39 am »

Quote from: Rick Popham on October 08, 2018, 12:24:48 pm

Thanks, Slobodan!
Giving it a try...

Classic bit of click bait, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Under no circumstances click ok. You will loose all your personal data and get nothing in return. Something somewhere has been hacked.

Rick Popham · « **Reply #14 on:** October 09, 2018, 06:05:45 am »

Yeah, I know that “happyluckstarclub” doesn’t want to give me anything. Problem is that it suddenly and completely redirects the page away from the article I was reading and prevents use of the back button. I have to close the page to get rid of it, and then the article I was reading is gone.

It seems to target mobile devices, both iOS and Android. I read the backpack article last night on my Windows desktop rig with no interruption.

Kevin Raber · « **Reply #15 on:** October 09, 2018, 10:35:55 am »

Speaking with our web team we suggest the following. Please let us know if this works.

Apple recommends always installing the latest updates and turning on the “Block Pop-ups” and “Fraudulent Website Warning” settings for Safari.

Also . . .

Turn on Airplane Mode
Go to Settings/Safari and tap Clear History and Website Data
double-press the HOME button, find the Safari screen image and swipe it up to close the app
Restart your phone or iPad
Turn Airplane Mode off
Visit Luminous Landscape again and see if the problem persists

Let us know if this helps. The first part above may be key to why some see this and others don’t.

Kevin

Rick Popham · « **Reply #16 on:** October 09, 2018, 10:55:04 am »

Hi Kevin,

See post #6. This is the advice listed on Apple's forums, and I have tried this repeatedly. At best, it's worked for while, but the redirects return. I've just now followed those directions again and I'll see if I can get through the interview with Ted Forbes uninterrupted.

Thanks,
Rick

Kevin Raber · « **Reply #17 on:** October 09, 2018, 12:05:42 pm »

We have turned off the few ad feeds we have to see if that fixes things and looking at updates. I know it is frustrating but we will figure it out. Very strange and not happening to everyone. Kind of hard to track it down. Also it seems to be only showing on mobile devices.

The team is working on it though.

JeanMichel · « **Reply #18 on:** October 09, 2018, 05:44:04 pm »

FYI.: no issues on either my iPad or iMac.

lukoirish · « **Reply #19 on:** October 09, 2018, 08:35:06 pm »

I too am experiencing the same things as Rick has described and also have tried the possible “fix” to resolve it. Those suggestions did not work. This is all on my iPad running the most current iOS update. I Disabled All Cookies in my settings and that seemed to solve it for today. I can’t keep that setting though and enjoy this or other sites. I had to re-enable Cookies to log-in to this forum just to post this message. This issue does seem to only happen on LuLa at this time. I’ll look forward to hearing more.

Author Topic: Amazon Rewards redirect (Read 1818 times)