Avoid losing cryptocurrency to the "MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway" scam
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What kind of scam is "MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway"?
"MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway" is a scam. It is advertised as the "biggest crypto giveaway", during which one hundred million USD worth of cryptocurrency will be distributed.
This scheme aims to deceive users into transferring digital currency to scammer-owned wallets. Victims of this scam will not only gain nothing in return, but they will also lose all of the "contributed" cryptocurrency.
"MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway" scam overview
This scam is presented as a giveaway held by MicroStrategy – a company providing business intelligence, mobile software, and cloud-based services. It uses the color palette of MicroStrategy and even includes a picture of Michael J. Saylor – the co-founder, former CEO, and current executive chairman of MicroStrategy.
This fake giveaway claims to be distributing $100,000,000 worth of Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) cryptocurrencies. Users can participate by transferring either BTC or ETH to the provided cryptowallet addresses. Supposedly, double the amount will be sent back to users' wallets.
As mentioned in the introduction, all the claims made by "MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway" are false. It must be emphasized that this scam is in no way associated with Michael J. Saylor, MicroStrategy Incorporated, or any other public figures or legitimate entities.
Victims of scams like "MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway" experience financial loss. Furthermore, due to the practically untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions – they cannot be reversed. Therefore, victims cannot return their digital assets.
| Name | "MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway" scam website |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Users will receive twice the amount of Bitcoin or Ethereum cryptocurrency that they contribute. |
| Disguise | MicroStrategy |
| Cyber Criminal Cryptowallet Addresses | bc1qq98h3tkwgmpmvcpww8r0gsqvrkwwchvzvzq49k (BTC), 0x95C67dba065B2b1c6e7d30c3583C6495De48Edf5 (ETH), 1DHwyKvJMDFVuvESUL7ooMu2UrJBVPNJdd (BTC), 0xa9998Ad432e86FD73B32d62376CF6E738177F55a (ETH) |
| Related Domains | invest-btc[.]com, micro2x[.]info, saylor-giving[.]org |
| Detection Names (invest-btc[.]com) | Combo Cleaner (Phishing), CRDF (Malicious), Emsisoft (Phishing), G-Data (Phishing), Kaspersky (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Serving IP Address (invest-btc[.]com) | 104.21.70.52 |
| Distribution methods | Compromised websites, spam, 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. |
Cryptocurrency-centered scam examples
"LIDO Staking", cbusy[.]com, fake ether.fi, X World Games Airdrop, and Pacmoon Airdrop are just some examples of cryptocurrency-targeting scams we have written about recently. Common types include fake giveaways promising doubled/tripled return, wallet-credential phishing, and cryptocurrency drainers.
However, the Internet is rife with various scams. While they have different appearances and use varied lures, their end goal is the same – to generate revenue at victims' expense.
It is not untrue that online scams tend to be riddled with grammatical/spelling errors, but they may also be competently made and even believably disguised as content associated with genuine companies, organizations, institutions, and other entities.
How did I open a scam website?
Online scams are endorsed via various types of spam, including emails, PMs/DMs, social media/forum posts, browser notifications, SMSes, and others. Deceptive websites can also be accessed through redirects generated by pages utilizing rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs, intrusive adverts, and adware.
How to avoid visiting scam websites?
Fraudulent and malicious online content commonly appears legitimate and innocuous. For example, while intrusive advertisements and spam browser notifications look harmless – they redirect to highly questionable pages (e.g., scam-promoting, gambling, adult dating, etc.).
Therefore, we strongly recommend being vigilant while browsing. Pay attention to URLs and type them carefully. Be selective about which sites you allow to deliver browser notifications; do not permit suspicious webpages to do so, and instead ignore or deny such requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).
Additionally, do not use websites offering pirated programs/media or other dubious services (e.g., illegal streaming/downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these sites are typically monetized via rogue advertising networks.
Another recommendation is to treat incoming emails and other messages with caution. Do not open attachments or links present in suspicious/irrelevant mail, as they can be harmful.
To prevent bundled/dangerous software from infiltrating the device – download only from official/verified channels and treat installations with care (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, tools, etc.).
If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.
Text presented in "MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway" scam:
MicroStrategy
BIGGEST CRYPTO GIVEAWAY OF $100,000,000
During this unique event, you have the opportunity to take a share of 1,000 BTC & 10,000 ETH. Have a look at the rules and don't miss out on this. You can only participate once!
Participate
The appearance of "MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway" scam (GIF):
Another variant of MicroStrategy Cryptogiveaway scam website (saylor-giving[.]org):
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is "MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway" 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 messages on the Web that aim to trick users into performing specific actions. Victims may be lured into making monetary transactions, disclosing sensitive information, connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, downloading/installing software, purchasing products, etc.
What is the purpose of online scams?
The purpose of online scams is to generate revenue. Scammers profit primarily by obtaining funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., websites, software, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing private data, and proliferating malware.
I have sent cryptocurrency to one of the addresses presented in the "MicroStrategy Crypto Giveaway" scam, can I get my money back?
No, the transferred funds cannot be retrieved due to the practically untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions.
Why do I encounter online scams?
Online scams are predominantly endorsed via spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, social media posts, browser notifications, etc.), websites using rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs (typosquatting), intrusive advertisements, and adware.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?
Combo Cleaner is designed to eliminate all kinds of threats. It is capable of scanning visited sites and detecting deceptive/malicious webpages. Therefore, should you enter such a website – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be denied.
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