Avoid getting scammed by fake "Quant (QNT) Airdrop" websites
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is this fake "Quant (QNT) Airdrop"?
"Quant (QNT) Airdrop" is a scam that impersonates the Quant Network (quant.network). The fake webpage promotes an airdrop as a lure to get users to expose their cryptocurrency wallets to a crypto drainer. It must be emphasized that this scheme is not associated with the actual Quant network or any other existing platforms.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We do not review crypto projects, please do your own research when investing money.
Federal Trade Comission (FTC) states that since the start of 2021, more than 46,000 people have reported losing over $1 billion in crypto to scams – that's about one out of every four dollars reported lost, more than any other payment method.
Fake "Quant (QNT) Airdrop" overview
This fake "Quant (QNT) Airdrop" is run on nft-quant[.]com, but it could be hosted on other domains. The scam imitates Quant Network (quant.network) – a platform for easing connections and communications between blockchains, as their networks use varied coding languages and software development kits. However, this bogus giveaway is in no way associated with Quant or other platforms/entities.
The scam webpage entices users through a fake airdrop, in which a QNT Mysterybox NFT can be exchanged to QNT (the native cryptocurrency of Quant Network). When an attempt is made to participate in the event, the user is prompted to "connect" their digital wallet. Doing so triggers a cryptocurrency-draining mechanism.
Hence, funds are transferred from exposed wallets in automated transactions. Some drainers can approximate the value of digital assets and prioritize them. Most or all of the funds stored in a compromised cryptowallet can be stolen through such scams. Victims cannot retrieve their assets because of the practically untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions.
Name | "Quant (QNT) Airdrop" crypto drainer scam |
Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer |
Fake Claim | Quant (QNT) cryptocurrency airdrop (giveaway). |
Disguise | Quant Network |
Related Domains | nft-quant[.]com |
Detection Names | Fortinet (Spam), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
Serving IP Address | 104.21.31.132 |
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 drainer scam examples
"ORD INSCRIPTION QUEST", "fake GALA", "$MAGE PRESALE REGISTRATION", and "Claim $RBLZ" are just some examples of crypto drainers that we have written about recently. Scams that target cryptocurrency tend to operate in one of three ways: draining digital assets, targeting cryptowallet log-in credentials, or deceiving victims into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets (by promising various benefits).
Users can be tricked into performing such activities by a variety of false claims, e.g., airdrops, new coin/token promotions, novel platforms, wallet/account issues, suspicious activity detections, security upgrades, etc. However, regardless of appearance and modus operandi, the end goal is the same throughout – to generate revenue at victims' expense.
How did I open a scam website?
Online scams are primarily promoted via malvertising, spam (e.g., emails, DMs/PMs, social media/ forum posts, browser notifications, etc.), websites employing rogue advertising networks, typosquatting (misspelled URLs), and adware.
Cryptocurrency drainer scams are commonly endorsed through malvertising, specifically – intrusive pop-up advertisements. These ads may even be capable of executing drainer scripts when users link their wallets. It is pertinent to mention that such pop-ups were noted being hosted on genuine sites that had been hacked.
Additionally, cryptocurrency-specific schemes are often pushed via social media spam (particularly on X [formerly Twitter]). Promotional posts and direct/private messages can be made using accounts stolen from real celebrities, influencers, projects, companies, etc.
How to avoid visiting scam websites?
We highly recommend caution while browsing, as fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears innocuous. For example, intrusive advertisements and spam browser notifications may look harmless – yet redirect to questionable websites (e.g., scam-promoting, gambling, pornography, etc.).
Therefore, it is important to be selective about which pages are enabled to deliver browser notifications. Suspect webpages must not be allowed to do so; instead, the delivery has to be ignored or denied (i.e., by pressing "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). Another recommendation is to take note of URLs and type them carefully.
We advise against using sites that offer pirated programs/media or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages typically utilize rogue advertising networks.
Incoming emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, and other messages must be approached cautiously. Attachments or links found in suspicious mail must not be opened.
Additionally, all downloads must be made from official/verified sources, and installations have to be treated with care (e.g., by reading terms, exploring options, using "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting out of supplementary apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent harmful software (like adware) from infiltrating the device.
If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.
Appearance of the fake "Quant (QNT) Airdrop" (GIF):
Screenshot of the official Quant Network website (quant.network):
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is "Quant (QNT) Airdrop" 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?
"Online scam" refers to a type of deceptive content hosted on the Web. It aims to deceive users into performing specific actions, e.g., connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, sending money to scammers, disclosing private information, buying products, downloading/installing software, subscribing to services, etc.
What is the purpose of online scams?
The purpose of online scams is profit. Cyber criminals primarily generate revenue by acquiring funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., websites, software, products, etc.), abusing/selling sensitive information, and proliferating malware.
I have lost cryptocurrency to a fake "Quant (QNT) Airdrop", can I get my money back?
Crypto currency transactions are irreversible because of their practically untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "Quant (QNT) Airdrop" cannot recover their funds.
Why do I encounter online scams?
The most prevalent promotional methods include: spam (e.g., social media/ forum posts, DMs/PMs, emails, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), websites employing rogue advertising networks, intrusive advertisements, typosquatting (mistyped URLs), and adware.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?
Combo Cleaner can scan visited sites and detect rogue, deceptive/scam, and malicious webpages. Therefore, should you enter such a website – you will be immediately warned, and further access to it will be blocked.
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