How to avoid falling for the "Jito (JTO) Token Airdrop" and similar scams
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is "Jito (JTO) Token Airdrop"?
We have investigated the Jito token airdrop and determined it to be a fraudulent scheme propagated through deceptive posts on X (previously known as Twitter). The perpetrators of this scam intend to deceive individuals into thinking they can acquire free cryptocurrency assets. In reality, their primary goal is to pilfer cryptocurrency from unsuspecting victims.
"Jito (JTO) Token Airdrop" scam in detail
The post on X promoting the scam contains a link designed to open a fake website. That page promotes a fake crypto giveaway (airdrop). The page welcomes visitors to the envisioned future of Jito governance, introducing the JTO token as a means to empower the community in directly influencing the evolution of the Jito Network.
The site invites users to search below to confirm the eligibility of their Solana wallet address and encourages them to claim the airdrop, creating an illusion of a genuine giveaway. Following the instructions provided after clicking the "Claim Airdrop" button results in approving a malicious contract.
This contract is intended to initiate a drainer designed explicitly for carrying out unauthorized transactions. When activated, the drainer facilitates the transfer of digital currency from the victim's wallet to the scammer's wallet. Thus, individuals who fall for this scam lose their cryptocurrency.
It is important to be aware that recovering stolen cryptocurrency is a challenging and complex process. Cryptocurrency transactions are often irreversible, and once funds are transferred, they can be challenging to trace and recover.
Name | Jito (JTO) Token Airdrop fake giveaway |
Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
Fake Claim | Participants are eligible for free Jito tokens |
Disguise | Legitimate Jito airdrop (giveaway) |
Related Domain | jito-gift[.]com |
Detection Names (jito-gift[.]com) | Emsisoft (Phishing), ESET (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) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Conclusion
To summarize, this fraudulent scheme functions by manipulating users into approving a malicious contract using misleading instructions. Recognizing the inherent challenges in retrieving cryptocurrency funds once transferred emphasizes the crucial need for alertness and prudence while navigating the online environment.
It is advisable for users to stay well-informed about such scams and implement precautionary steps to protect themselves from falling prey to deceitful schemes. More examples of similar scams are "MASK Token Airdrop", "FAR TOKEN AIRDROP", and "Find Unclaimed Airdrops".
How did I open a scam website?
Users frequently stumble upon scam websites via deceptive emails or messages that appear genuine but harbor malicious links. Misleading advertisements, particularly on less secure websites or ad networks, can also direct users to fraudulent sites. Additionally, manipulated search engine results contribute to users inadvertently landing on scam pages.
Moreover, notifications from untrustworthy websites and advertising-supported apps may guide users to dubious pages, including scams. Most users access such pages unintentionally rather than deliberately seeking them out.
How to avoid visiting scam pages?
Exercise caution with unsolicited emails and messages, especially those containing unexpected links. Be wary of online ads and pop-ups, particularly on shady websites, and avoid clicking on flashy promotions or offers that seem too good to be true. Do not allow suspicious websites to send notifications.
Download programs (and files) from reliable sources (official sites and app stores). Use trustworthy search engines. Employ reputable antivirus and anti-malware software and keep it up to date. 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 "Jito (JTO) Token Airdrop" scam (GIF):
Post on X (Twitter) promoting this scam:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Jito (JTO) Token Airdrop fake giveaway?
- 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 fake cryptocurrency giveaway?
A fake cryptocurrency giveaway is a deceptive scheme where scammers create the illusion of a legitimate giveaway or airdrop to trick individuals into providing their cryptocurrency or personal information.
What is the purpose of a fake crypto giveaway?
The objective of a fake crypto giveaway is to deceive individuals and trick them into providing their cryptocurrency or personal information to scammers.
How fake cryptocurrency giveaways are promoted?
Fraudsters often use various tactics to attract victims, such as fake social media accounts, deceptive websites, misleading advertisements, adware, notifications from unreliable pages, and similar channels.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?
Combo Cleaner is designed to conduct comprehensive scans of every website you visit, effectively detecting malicious sites, including those involved in scams. The application notifies users and limits access to suspicious pages, thereby enhancing overall online security.
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