How to spot crypto scams like "BITCOIN ETF TOKEN"

What is "BITCOIN ETF TOKEN" scam?

Upon close inspection, the outcome of our examination is that it is a typical cryptocurrency scam where scammers aim to steal funds. In this case, scammers use fake news about the Bitcoin ETF to steal cryptocurrency. This and similar scams should be ignored to avoid any monetary loss.

"BITCOIN ETF TOKEN" scam in detail

In this crypto scam, individuals are enticed to join a purported investment platform promising ETF coins as rewards for participation. The scam emphasizes the profitability of staking these coins, leveraging the appeal of high returns.

The text on this scam seems to promote the idea of an impending Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) and suggests that such ETFs are inevitable, referencing past speculations and an official application by BlackRock. The message implies that the approval of Bitcoin ETFs will lead to a substantial influx of capital, potentially in the billions or trillions of dollars, into the cryptocurrency market.

The urgency to "buy Bitcoin ETF Token before that happens" is emphasized, appealing to potential investors to act quickly to capitalize on the anticipated market surge. Also, this crypto scam site has multiple links to fake articles. The purpose of this scam is to lure individuals into providing "connecting" their wallets.

The perpetrators of this scam seek to obtain login credentials for cryptocurrency wallets. If successful, they gain unauthorized access to the wallets and steal funds.

It is important to note that the mentioned ETF, or Exchange-Traded Fund, is a package of investments traded on the stock market. If there's a Bitcoin ETF, it means people can invest in Bitcoin through the stock exchange without actually owning Bitcoin itself.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake BITCOIN ETF TOKEN offer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants will receive ETF coins as rewards
Disguise	Legitimate platform for obtaining tokens
Related Domain	btcetf[.]ink
Detection Names	Emsisoft (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	To good to be true offer, suspicious URL, fake articles
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. ▼ 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.

Similar scams in general

Crypto scams share common traits designed to exploit individuals' trust and desire for quick profits. These scams often employ deceptive tactics such as promising unrealistically high returns, creating a sense of urgency, and using sophisticated marketing techniques.

They may involve fraudulent investment platforms, fake initial coin offerings (ICOs), or phishing schemes targeting users' private keys or login credentials. Examples of similar scams are "You Have Received A Bitcoin Transfer Scam", "X Token Presale Scam", and "Collect Trump Cards Scam".

How did I open a scam website?

Users may unknowingly open scam sites through various means. One common method is through phishing emails or messages that mimic legitimate communication from reputable sources, enticing users to click on links. These links lead to fake websites designed to lure users into providing sensitive information such as login credentials or financial details.

Additionally, users may encounter unreliable websites through online advertisements or search engine results that appear legitimate at first glance but are actually malicious. Scammers often employ tactics to make these sites look authentic, exploiting users' trust and lack of suspicion.

Social media platforms, advertising-supported apps, notifications from unreliable pages, and similar channels are also used to spread various scams.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Exercise caution when dealing with unexpected emails, messages, or pop-ups, and refrain from clicking on links or downloading attachments from unfamiliar sources. Do not agree to receive notifications from suspicious pages. Obtain apps from reliable sources, such as official websites and app stores.

Avoid visiting torrent sites, illegal movie streaming pages, and similar platforms, as they often contain misleading ads or use rogue advertising networks to promote various scams. Employ reputable antivirus and anti-malware software. Additionally, stay informed about common scams and phishing tactics to recognize warning signs.

If 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 "BITCOIN ETF TOKEN" pop-up scam (GIF):

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake BITCOIN ETF TOKEN offer?
• 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 cryptocurrency scam?

A cryptocurrency scam is a deceptive scheme in which individuals are misled into making fraudulent investments or providing sensitive information, often involving false promises of high returns, fake investment platforms, etc.

I have sent cryptocurrency to scammers, can I retrieve my funds?

Unfortunately, retrieving funds sent to cryptocurrency scammers is extremely challenging. Cryptocurrency transactions are typically irreversible, and the decentralized nature of blockchain technology makes it difficult to trace and recover lost funds.

Why do I encounter crypto scams?

Deceptive emails, fraudulent websites, dubious online ads, and social media are common channels through which scams are promoted. Users rarely intentionally visit scam websites. They are usually misled or tricked into accessing them.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner is crafted to meticulously scan each website you visit, effectively identifying malicious ones. This includes sites created to deploy scams, ensuring immediate warnings and restricting access to potentially harmful content.

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