How to identify scams like "Telegram Giveaway TON"

What is the fake "Telegram Giveaway TON" page?

Upon investigating the site, we found it to be a fraudulent website posing as the official ton[.]org page. Scammers have crafted this deceptive webpage with the intention of swindling cryptocurrency from unsuspecting users. Their goal is to deceive users into taking actions that lead to the theft of their digital assets.

Fake "Telegram Giveaway TON" giveaway overview

The Open Network (TON) is an internet that is both decentralized and open, formed by the community through technology engineered by Telegram. Cryptocurrency serves as the backbone of the TON ecosystem. Toncoin, TON's native cryptocurrency, is integral to various aspects of the network.

The scam website (claimton[.]org) we discovered promotes a TON giveaway and claims that individuals can obtain cryptocurrency for free. The site instructs users to enter their Telegram username or phone number to check if tokens are available for them. However, clicking the "CHECK" button triggers a request to connect a wallet.

The intention of this website is to deceive users by convincing them to connect their wallets in order to claim free tokens. However, when a wallet is "connected", a malicious contract is activated, designed to drain cryptocurrency. The sole objective of this drainer is to transfer cryptocurrency from the victim's wallet to the scammers' wallet.

Tracing or reversing cryptocurrency transactions is arduous once cryptocurrency is transferred to a scammer's wallet. Thus, victims of such scams often suffer financial losses. It is imperative to validate the authenticity of websites prior to divulging personal details or participating in cryptocurrency transactions.

Investing effort into comprehensive research and exercising due diligence can serve as a safeguard against falling prey to scams and suffering financial setbacks.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake Telegram (TON) Giveaway
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Individuals can receive TON tokens for free
Disguise	Legitimate TON giveaway hosted by Telegram
Related Domain	claimton[.]org
Detection Names	N/A (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Unofficial domain, slightly different page design
Distribution methods	Compromised social media accounts, hijacked WordPress sites, rogue online pop-up ads, phishing emails, 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.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the scam operates by deceiving users into believing they can claim free tokens by connecting their wallets, only to activate a malicious contract that drains cryptocurrency into the scammers' wallets. Due to the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies, recovering stolen funds is often challenging.

It underscores the importance of verifying the legitimacy of websites and conducting thorough research before engaging in cryptocurrency transactions to mitigate the risk of falling victim to such scams. Examples of scams similar to the "Telegram Giveaway" are "Zora Mint", "Seedify $SFUND", and "FOXY Presale".

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers employ various tactics to ensnare victims into their schemes. They utilize compromised social media accounts and hijacked WordPress websites to lure users into visiting scam websites harboring crypto drainers. Rogue advertising networks, often present on illicit streaming platforms or torrent sites, provide yet another avenue for their fraudulent activities.

Furthermore, individuals may encounter scams through deceptive advertisements, pop-ups, or notifications from dubious websites. Phishing emails are another prevalent tactic, deceiving recipients into visiting fraudulent pages. Additionally, installing dubious apps can inadvertently expose users to scams.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Prior to clicking on any links, meticulously examine the URL to confirm its authenticity, ensuring it matches the official website. Approach ads or pop-ups with caution, especially those on dubious pages. Avoid enabling notifications from questionable websites.

Exercise care when dealing with emails, particularly those from unknown senders or those that seem irrelevant or unexpected, as they may contain links or attachments. Only download apps from official sources such as official websites or trusted app stores, and promptly uninstall any suspicious programs already on your device.

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 "Telegram Giveaway TON" (GIF):

Official TON website (ton[.]org):

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Telegram (TON) 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 a crypto scam?

A cryptocurrency scam refers to any fraudulent scheme designed to trick unsuspecting individuals into providing access to cryptocurrency wallets, sending cryptocurrency to scammers, or taking similar actions.

Is it possible to retrieve lost crypto funds?

Recovering lost cryptocurrency funds is frequently challenging, with success rates being notably low. Cryptocurrency transactions are mostly irreversible, meaning that reclaiming funds becomes virtually impossible once funds are transferred to a scammer's wallet.

Why do I encounter crypto scams?

Scammers use various methods, including phishing emails, hijacked social media accounts, deceptive ads, and pop-ups on dubious sites, along with rogue advertising networks, to spread their scams.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner offers website analysis to identify potential scams. When fraudulent activity is detected, users receive immediate alerts, and access restrictions are quickly implemented to minimize risks.

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