How to spot deceptive pages like the "ShibaInu AirDrop" phishing site

What kind of scam is "ShibaInu AirDrop pop-up scam"?

Our examination revealed this is a scam website targeting crypto wallet login information. Providing information on such pages results in financial loss and potential additional problems, so this scam page should be ignored. Our team discovered that scammers promote this scam via email (and possibly other channels).

"ShibaInu AirDrop" scam in detail

According to this scam website, it is backed by well-known sponsors such as Uniswap and Vitalik Buterin. The platform offers the opportunity to receive SHIB tokens through its AirDrop program.

It is specified that a maximum of 4,420,866,489 SHIB tokens will be distributed among eligible participants with active accounts and completed transactions with either SHIB or ETH. The platform also features a referral program, allowing individuals to earn additional SHIB tokens through successful referrals.

Furthermore, it is stated that users who have over 1,000,000 SHIB or 0.1 ETH are eligible to receive a single complimentary box, which they can open to receive their SHIB tokens. In order to participate, users are instructed to spin the wheel and collect the SHIB tokens won.

After spinning the wheel, users are asked to connect their wallets to receive the prize. They are asked to select a wallet and connection method (private key, mnemonic phrase, or keystore file). Entered login information is sent to the scammers behind the ShibaInu AirDrop scam.

Usually, scammers drain accessed crypto wallets (transfer funds to wallets owned by them) or sell those wallets to third parties.

Threat Summary:

Name	ShibaInu AirDrop phishing scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Visitors can win free SHIB tokens
Disguise	Legitimate SHIB giveaway
Related Domain	baglierirosi[.]ga, claim-your-shiba-airdrop.pages[.]dev
Detection Names	Kaspersky (Malware), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	104.21.77.251
Symptoms	Fake error messages, fake system warnings, pop-up errors, hoax computer scan.
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, unwanted applications, email, text messages.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information and monetary loss.
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.

Examples of similar scams

"FIFA Crypto Giveaway Scam", "MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway Scam", and "TrustWallet Email Scam" are examples of other crypto-related scams. In most cases, scammers behind them attempt to trick unsuspecting users into providing sensitive information or transferring cryptocurrency.

Crypto giveaway scams are fraudulent schemes where scammers pretend to be a reputable crypto company or well-known personality, and promise to give away a large sum of cryptocurrency to those who send a smaller amount to a specified crypto wallet.

How did I open a scam website

The ShibaInu AirDrop scam is promoted via email (a screenshot of a letter promoting this scam is provided below). Also, scam websites are promoted via untrustworthy advertisements, advertising-supported apps, pages that use rogue advertising networks, notifications from shady pages, and similar channels.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Do not trust ads on dubious web pages or allow such pages to show notifications. Carefully examine suspicious (e.g., unexpected or irrelevant) emails and text messages before opening provided links or files. Download apps and files from trustworthy sources (official websites and stores).

f your computer is already infected with unwanted apps, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

The appearance of "ShibaInu AirDrop" pop-up scam (GIF):

Text on this page:

AirDrop ShibaInu Coin
Our site Supported by sponsors Uniswap and Vitalik Buterin. You can open the box and get SHIB for free! A total of 4,420,866,489 SHIB will be distributed. Only active account with SHIB or ETH transaction can join AirDrop. You can earn SHIB with referral program.

FREE SHIB COIN BOX
You can open 1 free box for free if you have more then 1000000 SHIB or 0.1 ETH balance. Abuse protection
Just spin and get SHIB which you win!

Screenshot of an email promoting this scam:

Text in this email:

Subject: - : Get 150,000,000 Shiba Inu (SHIB) tokens now for free, details in your account

YOUR WALLET HAS BEEN REPLENISHED WITH 150,000,000 (SHIB) SHIBA INU TOKENS, DETAILS IN YOUR ACCOUNT -

Another example of Shiba Airdrop-themed drainer website (claim-your-shiba-airdrop.pages[.]dev):

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Quick menu:

• What is ShibaInu AirDrop phishing scam?
• 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 crypto giveaway scam?

False crypto giveaways are fraudulent activities where scammers pose as trustworthy organizations or celebrities, tricking users into transferring a small amount of crypto to a designated address in exchange for a false promise of a large crypto reward.

What is the purpose of crypto-related scams?

Scammers behind these scams usually attempt to trick people into sending them cryptocurrency or providing sensitive information (login credentials required to access crypto wallets).

How these scams are promoted?

Scamers use email or text messags, deceptive browser notifications displayed by shady websites, untrustworthy ads, pages that use rogue advertising networks, and similar ways to promote their scams.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scam websites?

The Combo Cleaner app can scan visited pages and detect malicious ones, including scam websites. It warns visitors immediately and restricts access to those pages.

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