Avoid getting scammed by fake VANRY sites offering rewards programs
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of scam is "VANRY Reward Program"?
"VANRY Reward Program" is a scam that imitates the VANRY platform and lures users through a bogus rewards program. This scheme is a cryptocurrency drainer intended to empty victims' digital wallets of funds.
"VANRY Reward Program" scam overview
This scam is presented as the Vanar Chain (VANRY) blockchain platform that centers on entertainment and gaming. The fake webpage appears practically identical to the official VANRY website. The URL of the scam page that we inspected – vanarchain[.]xyz – closely resembles the legitimate site's domain, which is vanarchain.com.
The fraudulent platform promotes a rewards program that encourages users to connect their cryptocurrency wallets when they try to participate.
It must be stressed that this rewards program is fake, and it is not associated with Vanar Chain or any other genuine entities.
After a cryptowallet is linked to this scam, a cryptocurrency drainer is triggered. To elaborate, automated transfers from victims' wallets to scammer-owned ones are initiated. Drainers may be capable of guesstimating the value of digital assets and targeting them first.
Victims of these scams can lose all or most of the funds stored in the exposed wallets. The scope of the financial loss depends on the value of the stolen assets. It is worth mentioning that cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible because of their nearly untraceable nature.
Name | "VANRY Reward Program" crypto drainer scam |
Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
Fake Claim | VANRY's rewards program |
Disguise | Vanar Chain (VANRY) |
Related Domains | vanarchain[.]xyz |
Detection Names (vanarchain[.]xyz) | Fortinet (Spam), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
Distribution methods | Compromised websites, social media spam, 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. |
Cryptocurrency-specific scam examples
"Creso Rewards", "SAGA AIRDROP", "Claim $PRCL", and "Solana Mobile scam" are merely some examples of crypto-draining scams.
Cryptocurrency-centered schemes are incredibly prevalent on the Web, yet they are just one type out of countless others. Online scams can be riddled with various errors or be highly elaborate and convincing. This content may also be believably disguised as existing platforms or websites.
How did I open a scam website?
Social media spam is common in crypto-specific scam promotion. The posts can be made using accounts stolen from legitimate projects, organizations, companies, or public figures (e.g., celebrities, influencers, etc.).
Cryptocurrency drainers have been actively endorsed through malvertising techniques, specifically via intrusive ads (pop-ups) with draining mechanisms. These advertisements can even be encountered on reputable websites that have been hijacked.
Online scams are also promoted through sites that use rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., social media/ forum posts, emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.
How to avoid visiting scam websites?
We recommend vigilance while browsing since fake and malicious online content typically appears genuine and harmless. For example, intrusive adverts and spam browser notifications may look innocuous – yet redirect to highly questionable websites (e.g., scam-promoting, pornography, gambling, adult dating, etc.).
Pay attention to URLs and type them carefully. Be selective about which sites you enable to deliver browser notifications. Do not allow suspect pages to do so, and instead ignore or deny these requests (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).
Furthermore, do not use websites that offer pirated software/media or other dubious services (e.g., illegal streaming or downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as they are usually monetized via rogue advertising networks.
Treat incoming emails and other messages with caution; do not open attachments or links present in suspicious/irrelevant mail, as they can be harmful/virulent.
To prevent bundled/hazardous programs from infiltrating the system – 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, features, 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 "VANRY Reward Program" scam (GIF):
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Quick menu:
- What is "VANRY Reward Program" crypto drainer scam?
- 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?
An online scam is a scheme endorsed on the Internet. Scams aim to trick users into performing specific actions, e.g., linking digital wallets to crypto drainers, making monetary transactions, downloading/installing software, disclosing private information, purchasing products, subscribing to services, calling fake helplines, etc.
What is the purpose of online scams?
The purpose of online scams is to generate revenue for their designers. Cyber criminals predominantly profit by obtaining funds through deception, promoting content (e.g., sites, software, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing private data, and spreading malware.
I have lost cryptocurrency to the "VANRY Reward Program" scam, can I get my money back?
No, cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed due to their practically untraceable nature. In other words, victims of such scams cannot retrieve their funds.
Why do I encounter online scams?
Online scams are primarily endorsed through spam (e.g., social media posts, DMs/PMs, emails, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), mistyped URLs (typosquatting), websites employing rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads, and adware.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?
Combo Cleaner can scan every single website that you visit and detect ones hosting rogue, deceptive/scam, and malicious content. Therefore, should you enter such a site – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be restricted.
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