How to spot fake websites like "PepeFork ($PORK) Registration" scam page
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is the fake "PepeFork ($PORK) Registration" page?
We have inspected the PepeFork ($PORK) Registration site (porkcoin[.]support) and found that it is a scam website mimicking the original pond0x[.]com and pondcoin[.]com websites. The fraudulent site is created by scammers with the intention of stealing cryptocurrency from unsuspecting individuals. Thus, users should not trust porkcoin[.]support.
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 $1 billion in crypto to scams – that's about one out of every four dollars reported lost, more than any other payment method.
"PepeFork ($PORK) Registration" fake website overview
Porkcoin[.]support is designed to exploit users' eagerness for free cryptocurrency by offering a giveaway (airdrop) opportunity within a limited 48-hour window. On the site, visitors are instructed to "REGISTER NOW" and provided with a contract address. Clicking the "REGISTER NOW" button results in receiving a request to connect a wallet.
The consequence of connecting a wallet on porkcoin[.]support is signing a malicious contract designed to activate a cryptocurrency drainer. A crypto drainer is a malicious tool that enables scammers to steal cryptocurrency from the connected wallet. It transfers crypto holdings from the victim's wallet to the scammer's wallet.
Once a transaction is completed, victims lose their cryptocurrency without the possibility of retrieving it. Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible unless the recipient sends the received cryptocurrency to the sender. Thus, it is important to check the legitimacy of crypto platforms before participating in giveaways, providing personal information, or taking other actions.
Name | Fake PepeFork ($PORK) Registration site |
Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
Fake Claim | Users can receive rewards for registering within 48 hours |
Disguise | Legitimate pond0x[.]com or pondcoin[.]com website |
Fake Website | porkcoin[.]support |
Detection Names (porkcoin[.]support) | alphaMountain (Malicious), Combo Cleaner (Malware), CRDF (Malicious), CyRadar (Malicious), G-Data (Malware), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
Symptoms | Incorrect domain, lack of official verification, unrealistic claims, too good-to-be-true promises. |
Distribution methods | Compromised social media accounts, hijacked WordPress sites, rogue online pop-up ads, phishing emails, unwanted applications. |
Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible malware infections. |
Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Conclusion
Fake platforms like porkcoin[.]support exploit users' desire for free digital assets. By enticing individuals with time-limited giveaways or other offers, these schemes trick people into connecting their wallets, resulting in irreversible losses through the activation of cryptocurrency drainers. Usually, sites like porkcoin[.]support closely resemble the original sites.
This underscores the importance of exercising carefulness and verifying platforms before engaging in any offers or sharing personal information. Examples of similar platforms are the fake "$SAFE Token Airdrop", "$LOC PRE-SALE", and "Binance's Token Launch".
How did I open a scam website?
Scam websites like porkcoin[.]support are promoted mainly through hijacked social media (e.g., Twitter/X) profiles or WordPress sites. Also, scammers often employ websites associated with rogue advertising networks (e.g., torrent sites or illegal movie streaming pages) to trick users into visiting websites hosting scams.
Additionally, users can encounter scams via misleading notifications from shady websites, ads and pop-ups on websites of this kind, and ads generated by adware. Sometimes, users open scam websites by entering incorrect URLs (when scammers use domains similar to the ones belonging to legitimate projects/websites).
How to avoid visiting scam pages?
Before clicking on any link, ensure its URL is written correctly to avoid visiting fake (unofficial) pages. Approach websites offering free cryptocurrency or too-good-to-be-true offers with caution. Download apps and files from trusted sources like official websites and app stores.
Refrain from opening links or files in unsolicited emails from unknown senders. Avoid agreeing to receive notifications from suspicious websites or engaging with ads, pop-ups, or buttons on dubious sites. Keep your operating system and apps up to date, and use reputable security software for added protection.
If your computer is already infected with unwanted apps, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.
The appearance of the fake "PepeFork ($PORK) Registration" site (GIF):
Real website (pond0x[.]com and pondcoin[.]com):
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Fake PepeFork ($PORK) Registration site?
- 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?
Typically, a cryptocurrency scam involves deceptive tactics aimed at stealing digital assets from unsuspecting individuals. Scammers employ a variety of techniques, such as fraudulent cryptocurrency airdrops and cryptocurrency drainers, to achieve their goals.
Is it possible to retrieve lost crypto funds?
Recovering cryptocurrency lost to scams is difficult, if not impossible, due to the irreversible nature of cryptocurrency transactions.
Why do I encounter crypto scams?
Scammers promote fake airdrops and other cryptocurrency scams mainly through stolen social media profiles, compromised WordPress sites, phishing emails, misleading ads, deceptive pop-ups, and websites utilizing rogue advertising networks.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?
Combo Cleaner can scan every website you visit, capable of identifying malicious ones. This includes sites hosting scams. Once such a site is detected, the app shows a warning and restricts access to the site.
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