How to spot fake giveaways like Cointelegraph's 10th Anniversary Airdrop

What is "Cointelegraph's 10th Anniversary Airdrop"?

Upon analysis, it became evident that this is a fraudulent scheme disguised as a cryptocurrency airdrop, employing deceptive emails and a misleading webpage to lure individuals into participation. The primary objective of these scammers is to illicitly obtain cryptocurrency from unsuspecting victims by exploiting their wallets.

"Cointelegraph's 10th Anniversary Airdrop" scam in detail

The sender of the email promoting this scam claims to be CoinTelegraph (a legitimate resource covering new on blockchain technology), which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in the cryptocurrency world. The message expresses gratitude for the recipient's supposed loyalty and support, attributing the platform's success to them.

To further entice the recipient, the email promises a special surprise in the form of an exclusive airdrop presented as a token of appreciation. The email concludes with a call-to-action button urging the recipient to "Claim Now".

Clicking the "Claim Now" button (opening the provided link) leads to a deceptive page instructing individuals to connect their wallets. Executing the given instructions initiates the activation of a malicious contract intended to initiate a mechanism for draining cryptocurrency.

The primary goal of this draining mechanism is to withdraw cryptocurrency from the wallets. Once activated, the drainer streamlines the process of transferring digital currency from the targeted wallet to the perpetrator's wallet. It is imperative to underscore that cryptocurrency transactions are generally irreversible.

It is important to highlight that fraudulent activities related to cryptocurrency drainers are often advertised through posts on X (formerly Twitter) or other social media platforms. Perpetrators leverage stolen or compromised accounts belonging to organizations, companies, or celebrities to endorse their scams.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake Cointelegraph's 10th Anniversary Airdrop
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants will receive free cryptocurrency from Cointelegraph
Disguise	Legitimate cryptocurrency giveaway (airdrop) hosten by Cointelegraph
Related Domain	cointelegraph10th[.]com
Detection Names (cointelegraph10th[.]com)	CyRadar (Malicious), Emsisoft (Phishing), Ermes (Not Recommended), ESET (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Fake error messages, fake system warnings, pop-up errors, hoax computer scan.
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

These scams share common traits designed to exploit individuals' trust and curiosity in the cryptocurrency space. Typically, they use deceptive emails or social media posts, often impersonating reputable platforms or organizations to create a false sense of legitimacy. The scams frequently employ time-sensitive events, such as anniversaries or exclusive offers, to prompt immediate action from recipients.

Recognizing these patterns and exercising caution when faced with unsolicited offers or claims is essential in safeguarding against falling victim to such cryptocurrency scams. Examples of similar scams are "De.Fi Launchpad Airdrop", "Trust Wallet Mystery Box", and "ZetaChain Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

Users inadvertently open scam pages through various means, often through phishing links embedded in emails, where users, unsuspecting of the fraudulent nature, click on seemingly legitimate links that lead them to scam pages. Misleading ads on shady websites or social media platforms can also entice users to click on them, redirecting them to deceptive sites.

Fake software updates, often disguised as legitimate updates for popular applications, can trick users into downloading and installing malicious programs, ultimately leading them to scam websites.

Additionally, interactions with notifications from untrustworthy websites or navigating sites associated with rogue advertising networks (e.g., illicit movie streaming sites or torrent pages) can direct users to pages hosting scams.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Avoid opening suspicious links or clicking ads on shady websites or social media. Be skeptical of posts offering too-good-to-be-true deals or promotions. Do not allow questionable sites to show notifications. Download applications from reliable sources (official websites and app stores).

Be careful with unexpected or irrelevant emails from unknown addresses. Do not open links (or files) within emails of this kind. Stay informed about common scams and phishing techniques. Ensure your web browser, other programs, and the operating system are 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 "Cointelegraph's 10th Anniversary Airdrop" pop-up scam (GIF):

Message on this page:

Cointelegraph's 10th Anniversary!
Connect Wallet
Claim the Cointelegraph's 10th Anniversary Airdrop reward for our loyal subscribers!

Email promoting this scam:

Text in this email:

Hi ,

We hope this message finds you well and thriving in the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies. Today marks a momentous occasion as CoinTelegraph celebrates its 10-year anniversary!

A decade of delivering insightful news, in-depth analysis, and staying at the forefront of the ever-evolving blockchain and crypto space wouldn't have been possible without your unwavering support. As a token of our appreciation for you loyalty, we are thrilled to announce a special surprise just for you.

To express our gratitude, we are conducting an exclusive airdrop for our most dedicated subscribers. This airdrop is our way of giving back to the community that has been the heartbeat of CoinTelegraph over the past 10 years.

[Claim Now]

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▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. 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.

Quick menu:

• What is Fake Cointelegraph's 10th Anniversary Airdrop?
• 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 scam?

A crypto scam refers to deceptive practices or manipulative strategies where scammers use dishonest schemes exploit individuals for financial gain.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

The goal of a crypto scam is to obtain cryptocurrency by tricking individuals into participating in financial transactions built on false premises or by coaxing them into providing access to their crypto wallets.

Why do I encounter crypto scams?

In order to ensnare individuals, scammers utilize a range of tactics, including the creation of fraudulent social media profiles, deceptive websites, untrustworthy advertisements, notifications from dubious sites, and similar channels.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scam pages?

Combo Cleaner can thoroughly scan websites, pinpointing malicious ones, including those linked to scams. For enhanced online security, the application quickly notifies users and blocks access to unreliable websites.

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