Avoid getting scammed by fake "Official Solana NFT Launch" websites
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is "Official Solana NFT Launch"?
"Official Solana NFT Launch" is a scam, which our researchers discovered when inspecting shady websites. The scam promises Solana blockchain platform users, who take part in it, a gift of Solana's "official" NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens). It must be emphasized that these promises are fake, and victims of this scam will only experience a financial loss and gain nothing in return.
"Official Solana NFT Launch" overview
When we accessed a website promoting this scam, it claimed that Solana had randomly selected five hundred thousand Solana holders to receive its new NFTs.
The scheme then provided instructions on how to receive said tokens. The steps included: visiting a different page, connecting the user's digital wallet, adding the scam website to the "Trusted Apps" list, enabling "Auto Approve", and lastly - selecting "Approve" of the transaction.
The scheme claims that this will allow users to receive the NFTs, but in all actuality - victims will transfer a set amount of cryptocurrency to the scammers.
| Name | Official Solana NFT Launch scam website |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | User will receive Solana NFTs by following the provided instructions. |
| Related Domains | officialnftgift[.]com |
| Detection Names (officialnftgift[.]com) | N/A (VirusTotal) |
| Distribution methods | Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications. |
| Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible malware infections. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Cryptocurrency-themed scam examples
The Internet is full of misleading, untrustworthy, deceptive, and malicious content. Scams centered on digital currencies - are not rare.
We have researched those that attempt to trick users into making cryptocurrency transactions (e.g., "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway", "PancakeSwap AirDrop", "NASA ETH and BTC Giveaway", etc.) and phishing scams targeting digital wallet log-in credentials (e.g., "OpenSea scam", "Coinbase scam", "Solflare scam", etc.).
Regardless of what such content promises or claims, it must be emphasized that the end goal is always to generate revenue at victims' expense.
How did I open a scam website?
Scam pages are typically accessed unintentionally. Users can enter deceptive websites via misspelled URLs or rogue redirects. The latter can be caused by sites that use questionable advertising networks (e.g., when accessed or once buttons, links, ads, etc., are clicked). Spam browser notifications also promote various scams.
Furthermore, adware installed onto the browser or system can force-open untrustworthy/malicious sites or display ads endorsing them.
How to avoid visiting scam websites?
We strongly advise against visiting/using websites that offer illegal or dubious services or host such content, as they usually employ rogue advertising networks. These networks are known to endorse scams and other harmful material.
Deceptive sites can also be entered via browser notifications delivered by suspicious webpages. Therefore, we recommend ignoring or declining notification requests (i.e., clicking "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.) displayed by questionable pages.
Adware commonly promotes various online scams. To avoid installing advertising-supported software, it is crucial to download only from official/verified sources and exercise caution with installation processes (e.g., read terms, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, opt-out of all additions, etc.).
If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.
Text presented in "Official Solana NFT Launch" scam:
Official Solana NFT Launch | Only 1500 NFTs!
Hey there!
To celebrate the launch of Solana NFTs, we randomly selected 500,000 Solana holders and distributed the "NFT" token. If you have received this token in your wallet, then you are eligible to claim the Official Solana NFT.
The number of tokens you have received will determine the number of NFTs you can claim.
[n] Token ->> [n] Official Solana NFT
(there is no minting cost; where [n] = number of tokens you have received)
Note: Only 1500 NFTs are available for minting. "NFT" token is sent to 500,000 SOL holders. So if you are late to mint, you will miss this!
Those lucky enough to be some of the earliest ones to mint the Official Solana NFT will need to take a few extra steps to join this special event!
While these steps may seem a little intimidating at first, most people quickly become "experts" once they've gone through the process themselves.
Follow step-by-step instructions:
1) Visit the official website at -> hxxps://officialnftgift.com/mint/
2) Click "Connect".
3) Open Phantom extension, and then click "Settings".
4) Click on "Trusted Apps".
5) Enable "Auto Approve".
(We need your permission to deliver the NFT(s) to you. Otherwise, NFT(s) will fail to mint.)
6) Click on "MINT" -> hxxps://officialnftgift.com/mint/
7) Click on "Approve".
After approving the transaction, NFT(s) will be sent to your wallet/address within a few seconds.
If you still have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us at support@solana.com :)
Take care
Screenshot of the page that the link presented in "Official Solana NFT Launch" scam redirects to:
The appearance of "Official Solana NFT Launch" pop-up scam (GIF):
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Quick menu:
- What is Official Solana NFT Launch scam website?
- 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 performing specific actions, e.g., transferring cryptocurrency/money, disclosing private data, calling fake helplines, downloading/installing software, and so on.
What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?
Most scams aim only to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals can profit by using deception to receive funds, abusing or selling sensitive information, receiving commissions for software/product promotion, distributing malware, and so forth.
I was tricked into transferring cryptocurrency to the "Official Solana NFT Launch" scam, can I get my money back?
Most likely, no. Cryptocurrency transactions are practically untraceable; hence, reversing them is impossible.
Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?
Fake pop-ups and other online scams are promoted on rogue websites. These pages are typically accessed via mistyped URLs or redirects caused by sites using rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, intrusive advertisements, or installed adware.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?
Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning the website you visit and detecting rogue, deceptive, and malicious ones (including those designed to push scams). Therefore, you will be warned immediately, and access to such webpages will be restricted.
Outstanding!
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