How to spot fake giveaways like "Meson ($MSN) Airdrop Claim"

What is fake "Meson ($MSN) Airdrop Claim" website?

We have examined both websites (claim-mesonnetwork[.]app and allocation.hub-mesonnetwork[.]com) promoting a Meson ($MSN) airdrop and discovered that they promote a fake giveaway. The scammers behind this campaign aim to trick visitors into believing that they are on the legitimate Meson platform (meson[.]network). Their goal is 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 "Meson ($MSN) Airdrop Claim" giveaway in detail

Meson Network is a Web3 bandwidth market using blockchain technology. Users can trade their spare bandwidth for tokens. This system adapts to different needs, making operations smoother and fueling fast growth. The real site Meson Network website is meson[.]network. However, there are at least two scam websites posing as meson[.]network.

As mentioned in the introduction, the scam pages (claim-mesonnetwork[.]app and allocation.hub-mesonnetwork[.]com) posing as legitimate Meson Network sites are designed to steal cryptocurrency. On these sites, users are offered to participate in an airdrop (a cryptocurrency giveaway). In order to participate, individuals are instructed to connect their wallets.

Connecting a wallet through claim-mesonnetwork[.]app or allocation.hub-mesonnetwork[.]com signs a malicious contract designed to activate a cryptocurrency drainer. This drainer has one purpose: to siphon funds from victims' wallets. It transfers cryptocurrency from victim's wallets to those owned by scammers.

It is important to mention that cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible, and victims of such scams cannot retrieve their funds (the loss of cryptocurrency is permanent). Thus, researching cryptocurrency giveaways and other crypto-related platforms is important before providing any personal information or making transactions.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake Meson ($MSN) Airdrop Claim website
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can receive cryptocurrency by connecting their wallets
Disguise	Legitimate Meson cryptocurrency airdrop
Related Domains	claim-mesonnetwork[.]app and allocation.hub-mesonnetwork[.]com
Detection Names (claim-mesonnetwork[.]app)	N/A (VirusTotal)
Detection Names (allocation.hub-mesonnetwork[.]com)	Fortinet (Spam), Seclookup (Malicious), 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.
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Conclusion

In general, scam websites like claim-mesonnetwork[.]app and allocation.hub-mesonnetwork[.]com entice users with promises of free cryptocurrency. Their purpose is to trick individuals into connecting their wallets, which can lead to irreversible losses through cryptocurrency theft. These sites often closely resemble legitimate ones, as seen with claim-mesonnetwork[.]app and allocation.hub-mesonnetwork[.]com.

More examples of fake sites employing crypto drainers are "SatoshiVM Airdrop", "DYDX NFT Airdrop", and "Merlin Swap Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

Fraudulent websites created to trick users into activating cryptocurrency drainers are mainly promoted through compromised WordPress pages or social media accounts. Quite often, these compromised accounts belong to celebrities or reputable companies.

Scammers also employ misleading ads, such as notifications from untrustworthy sites, deceptive banners, coupons, pop-ups, etc., to lure users into visiting scam pages. Furthermore, users might inadvertently encounter scam websites through illegal movie streaming pages, torrent sites, and similar web pages that utilize rogue advertising networks.

Moreover, fraudulent schemes can be propagated through advertisements presented by untrustworthy adware and fraudulent emails containing links.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Ensure that you only download applications and files from reliable sources such as official websites and reputable app stores. Avoid clicking on advertisements, pop-ups, or download buttons on dubious websites, and do not permit such sites to send notifications. Refrain from opening links or attachments in irrelevant or unexpected emails from unknown senders.

Keep your operating system, web browsers, and other software updated regularly. Utilize a reliable security solution and perform routine scans on your computer to safeguard against potential threats. 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 "Meson ($MSN) Airdrop Claim" page (GIF):

Real Meson Network website (meson[.]network):

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▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. 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.

Quick menu:

• What is Fake Meson ($MSN) Airdrop Claim website?
• 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 fake crypto airdrop?

A bogus crypto airdrop entails scammers promising to send free cryptocurrency to participants. They commonly seek personal details (such as wallet login credentials), wallet addresses, or crypto deposits. Ultimately, their aim is to pilfer cryptocurrency.

Is it possible to retrieve lost crypto funds?

Recovering cryptocurrency lost to scams is usually impossible due to the irreversible nature of cryptocurrency transactions.

Why do I encounter crypto scams?

Typically, scammers advertise fake airdrops and other crypto scams through stolen social media profiles, compromised WordPress sites, phishing emails, misleading ads, deceptive pop-ups, and websites like torrent sites that utilize shady advertising networks.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner examines each website and detects malicious ones, including those facilitating scams. Upon detection, the application promptly issues a warning and restricts access to the unreliable web page.

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