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How to recognize scams like Earndrop

Also Known As: Earndrop crypto scam
Damage level: Medium

What kind of scam is "Earndrop"?

It has been revealed that this is a scam related to cryptocurrency, strategically devised to deceive unsuspecting users into engaging in a counterfeit giveaway. The primary objective pursued by the perpetrators orchestrating this Earndrop scam is the illicit acquisition of cryptocurrency through fraudulent means.

Earndrop scam

"Earndrop" scam in detail

This scam is promoted via X (Twitter). The misleading posts entice users with a deceptive claim regarding a supposed $25,000 Optimism chain airdrop. They encourage individuals to verify their eligibility for potential unknown airdrops by following a link provided in these posts.

Upon clicking the provided link, users are directed to a deceptive website that continues to promote the false narrative of discovering unclaimed airdrops for any wallet through the platform called Earndrop. The website reiterates the claim that Earndrop will notify users when any of their wallets receive a new airdrop.

Following the steps outlined on this page, specifically connecting a crypto wallet, grants permission to a harmful smart contract containing a drainer code. Once granted access, the drainer initiates unauthorized transactions, leading to the depletion of the user's digital assets, particularly cryptocurrency, and resulting in financial losses.

Therefore, it is strongly recommended that users refrain from linking their wallets through this fraudulent page to mitigate the risk of falling victim to unauthorized transactions and potential financial losses.

Threat Summary:
Name Earndrop crypto scam
Threat Type Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim Users can find airdrops (giveaways) using the platform
Disguise Legitimate platform that is supposed to notify about giveaways
Related Domains earndrop[.]cash, earn-drops[.]net
Detection Names (earndrop[.]cash) Criminal IP (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Detection Names (earn-drops[.]net) alphaMountain.ai (Phishing), CyRadar (Malicious), Fortinet (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms Lack of official verification, unrealistic claims, too good-to-be-true promises.
Distribution methods Post on X (Twitter), deceptive 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)

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Similar scams in general

Such scams typically share common characteristics aimed at exploiting users' trust and luring them into fraudulent schemes. They often employ deceptive tactics, such as promising substantial rewards or exclusive opportunities, to entice individuals into providing sensitive information or participating in fake giveaways.

These scams frequently leverage misleading posts or websites, creating a sense of urgency or exclusivity to prompt immediate action. Users are advised to exercise caution, verify information thoroughly, and refrain from engaging with suspicious offers to safeguard against falling victim to these deceptive practices.

Examples of similar scams are "Mint Fun", "Starknet Airdrop", and "New Paradigm Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

The Earndrop scam is promoted via posts on X (Twitter) leading to a deceptive page. In other cases, scams can be encountered via misleading notifications from dubious pages, ads and pop-ups on shady sites, and pages that use rogue advertising networks (e.g., illegal movie streaming pages and torrent sites).

Advertising-supported applications can also be used to promote scam websites. Either way, users rarely open scam pages on purpose.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be careful when encountering ads, pop-ups, and similar content on suspicious websites. Do not grant permission for shady sites to send notifications. Avoid downloading apps from sources like unofficial websites and app stores, P2P networks, third-party downloaders, etc. Obtain apps from official websites and stores.

Do not trust online offers that seem too good to be true. Avoid clicking links in unexpected or irrelevant emails or messages. Use a reputable security program and regularly update the operating system and installed apps. 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 "Earndrop" scam (GIF):

Appearance of Earndrop scam

X (Twitter) post promoting the scam:

Earndrop scam X (Twitter) post promoting the scam

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
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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:

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 scam?

A crypto scam refers to any fraudulent activity within the cryptocurrency space where scammers others for financial gain. Scammers often use deceptive tactics to trick individuals into providing sensitive information, transferring funds, or participating in fake investment opportunities.

How these scams are promoted?

Crypto scams are often promoted through various channels, including phishing emails, social media platforms, fake websites, notifications from dubious pages, deceptive ads, etc. Users open scam websites unintentionally.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner proficiently examines every website you visit, recognizing and flagging malicious ones. This encompasses websites tailored for scam operations, guaranteeing prompt alerts and preventing access to potentially hazardous sites.

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About the author:

Tomas Meskauskas

Tomas Meskauskas - expert security researcher, professional malware analyst.

I am passionate about computer security and technology. I have an experience of over 10 years working in various companies related to computer technical issue solving and Internet security. I have been working as an author and editor for pcrisk.com since 2010. Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay informed about the latest online security threats. Contact Tomas Meskauskas.

PCrisk security portal is brought by a company RCS LT. Joined forces of security researchers help educate computer users about the latest online security threats. More information about the company RCS LT.

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Malware activity

Global malware activity level today:

Medium threat activity

Increased attack rate of infections detected within the last 24 hours.

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