Avoid getting scammed by fake "Gasfees Airdrop" websites
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of scam is "Gasfees Airdrop"?
After reviewing the "Gasfees Airdrop", we determined that it is a cryptocurrency-draining scam. The scheme is presented as an airdrop of the Gwei cryptocurrency, which will supposedly refund the Ethereum Gas that the participant has spent.
It is pertinent to mention that "Gasfees Airdrop" has been noted being promoted by posts on the X (more widely known by its former name – Twitter) social media platform.
"Gasfees Airdrop" scam overview
This scam claims to be an airdrop of Gwei cryptocurrency. The amount that a participant of this giveaway is to receive will depend on the Ethereum Gas spent by them. ETH Gas refers to payments for the transactions and smart contract use on the Ethereum network.
It must be stressed that this airdrop is fake and is not associated with any legitimate entities. Hence, after a user connects their digital wallet to this scam – the funds therein are automatically transferred to the cyber criminals. This type of scheme is referred to as a cryptocurrency drainer.
Victims of such scams experience financial loss. It is noteworthy that it is practically impossible to reverse cryptocurrency transactions because of their virtually untraceable nature.
Name | "Gasfees Airdrop" scam website |
Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
Fake Claim | Airdrop distributes Gwei cryptocurrency to compensate the Ethereum Gas spent by participants. |
Related Domains | gasfees[.]wtf |
Detection Names (gasfees[.]wtf) | CRDF (Malicious), CyRadar (Malicious), Emsisoft (Phishing), ESET (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
Serving IP Address (gasfees[.]wtf) | 172.67.217.83 |
Distribution methods | Spam social media posts, compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications. |
Damage | Monetary loss |
Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Similar scam examples
"AppleCoin", "QQL Mint Pass", "Binance x MetaMask Partnership", "OPTIMISM Airdrop", "Skyborne Genesis $SKY Distribution", "SingularityNET - AGIX", and "SLEEPLESS AI Airdrop" are merely some examples of crypto drainers.
The Internet is rife with deceptive and malicious content. Various false claims are used to gain and subsequently abuse victims' trust. Therefore, we strongly advise exercising caution while browsing.
How did I open a scam website?
"Gasfees Airdrop" has been observed being endorsed by posts on the X (formerly Twitter) social media platform. Scams of this kind are typically promoted using accounts stolen from legitimate companies, projects, influencers, etc., and this is likely the case concerning "Gasfees Airdrop". Other methods for pushing this scam are not unlikely.
Online scams are endorsed through spam (e.g., social media/ forum posts, emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.) and redirects generated by mistyped URLs, sites employing rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads, or installed adware.
How to avoid visiting scam websites?
It is essential to be careful while browsing since fake and malicious online content usually appears legitimate and harmless. For example, while intrusive adverts and spam browser notifications look innocuous – they redirect to unreliable/questionable webpages (e.g., gambling, scam-promoting, adult dating, gambling, etc.).
We advise against using sites offering pirated content or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming or downloading, etc.), as these webpages usually utilize rogue advertising networks. Another recommendation is to pay attention to URLs and type them with care.
Additionally, attachments or links present in suspect/irrelevant emails and other messages must not be opened. To avoid receiving undesirable browser notifications – do not permit suspicious pages to display them (i.e., do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", etc.). Instead, ignore or deny notification requests from such webpages (i.e., select "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).
To prevent bundled/harmful content from infiltrating the system – download only from official/verified sources and treat installations with vigilance (e.g., read terms, study possible options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of supplementary apps, extensions, etc.).
If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.
The appearance of "Gasfees Airdrop" scam (GIF):
Screenshot of a post promoting the "Gasfees Airdrop" scam on the X (formerly Twitter) social media platform:
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is "Gasfees Airdrop" 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 an online scam?
Basically, online scams are deceptive claims promoted on the Web. These false messages are intended to trick users into performing specific actions, e.g., connecting digital wallets to cryptocurrency drainers, disclosing sensitive data, downloading/installing software, purchasing products, calling fake support lines, etc.
What is the purpose of online scams?
Online scams aim to generate revenue. Scammers primarily profit by obtaining funds through deception, selling or abusing private information, promoting content (e.g., sites, apps, extensions, products, etc.), and spreading malware.
I have lost cryptocurrency to the "Gasfees Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?
Cryptocurrency transactions are practically untraceable, which makes them irreversible. Hence, victims cannot retrieve their funds.
Why do I encounter online scams?
"Gasfees Airdrop" has been noted being endorsed through X (formerly Twitter) social media posts, which were likely made using stolen accounts. However, other promotional methods are not unlikely.
Online scams are run on deceptive sites. Most users access them via spam (e.g., social media posts, emails, DMs/PMs, browser notifications, etc.) or redirects caused by websites using rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs, intrusive ads, and installed adware.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?
Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites and detect deceptive/malicious pages. Hence, if you enter one – you will be warned immediately, and further access to the webpage will be blocked.
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