How to identify fake airdrops like "Merlin Swap Airdrop"

What is the fake "Merlin Swap Airdrop"?

Upon closer inspection of the site (mage-airdrop-merlinchain[.]com), we identified that it is a deceptive website promoting a fake cryptocurrency giveaway (airdrop). This scam page is presented as the number one decentralized exchange in the Bitcoin ecosystem. Scammers use this website to steal cryptocurrency.

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 "Merlin Swap Airdrop" in detail

In cryptocurrency, an airdrop means giving away free tokens or coins to individuals who hold a particular cryptocurrency or meet certain conditions set by the project. On mage-airdrop-merlinchain[.]com, users are offered to join various campaigns (airdrops) and claim free cryptocurrency.

Scammers behind mage-airdrop-merlinchain[.]com aim to trick visitors into believing that the page (MerlinStarter) is a legitimate platform that is the accelerator for all BTCLayer2 projects. Their goal is to lure individuals into "connecting" their wallets, which is the "required" step in claiming cryptocurrency.

However, when a cryptocurrency wallet is "connected", it triggers the signing of a malicious contract, initiating a cryptocurrency drainer. The purpose of this drainer is to siphon cryptocurrency from the victim's wallet. It transfers crypto holdings from the victim's wallet to the one owned by scammers.

It is important to understand that cryptocurrency transactions cannot be undone once completed unless the recipient chooses to return the received cryptocurrency. Therefore, individuals should analyze cryptocurrency-related platforms before connecting their wallets, sharing sensitive information, or investing their digital assets to prevent potential financial losses or other issues.

Threat Summary:

Name	Merlin Swap Airdrop fake giveaway
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants have the opportunity to receive free cryptocurrency
Disguise	Legitimate cryptocurrency airdrop and exchange
Related Domain	mage-airdrop-merlinchain.com
Detection Names	N/A (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.

Online scams in general

Scams like mage-airdrop-merlinchain[.]com usually lure victims into connecting their wallets by offering free tokens, coins, or other rewards. However, the true intention behind these scams is to deceive users into activating a cryptocurrency drainer, allowing scammers to steal funds.

Since retrieving cryptocurrency sent to scammers is nearly impossible, users should be careful when encountering offers to participate in airdrops and ensure the platforms are legitimate. Some examples of fraudulent crypto-related projects are the fake "$SAFE Token Airdrop", "$LOC PRE-SALE", and "Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

Untrustworthy websites like mage-airdrop-merlinchain[.]com are usually promoted via hijacked WordPress sites or stolen social media accounts belonging to well-known companies or celebrities. Other ways scammers use to promote fraudulent sites include sending phishing emails containing links or attachments or creating deceptive ads.

Additionally, scam pages can be encountered while visiting websites associated with rogue advertising networks (e.g., torrent sites and illegal movie streaming pages). Advertisements delivered by adware can also be used to promote scam pages like mage-airdrop-merlinchain[.]com. Either way, most users get tricked into visiting websites hosting scams.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Check the website URL for accuracy before opening, as scammers often use misspellings of legitimate URLs to trick users into visiting fake websites. Be skeptical of websites promising free cryptocurrency or similar offers. Download applications (and files) from reliable sources, such as official web pages and app stores.

Never agree to receive notifications from suspicious websites or interact with ads, pop-ups, buttons, or similar content on questionable sites. Also, do not open links or files in unsolicited emails received from unknown addresses. Keep your operating system and installed apps up to date and use reputable security software.

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 "Merlin Swap Airdrop" scam (GIF):

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Quick menu:

• What is Merlin Swap Airdrop fake 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?

Usually, a cryptocurrency-related scam is a fraudulent scheme created to steal crypto holdings from unsuspecting individuals. Scammers use various methods to achieve that, including fake cryptocurrency airdrops and crypto drainers.

Is it possible to retrieve lost crypto funds?

It is nearly impossible to retrieve cryptocurrency lost due to falling victim to a scam. Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible.

Why do I encounter crypto scams?

Typically, scammers advertise fake airdrops and other crypto scams through stolen social media profiles, hacked WordPress sites, phishing emails, misleading ads, deceptive pop-ups, websites that use rogue advertising networks, and similar channels.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to detect a wide range of scams, promptly notifying users and enforcing access restrictions when necessary.

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