How to spot fake pages like the fake deBridge website
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is the fake deBridge website?
Our analysis of the claim.debridgefinace[.]com site revealed that it is a fake website, a copy of the legitimate debridge[.]finance web page. We found that scammers use claim.debridgefinace[.]com to drain their victims' cryptocurrency wallets. Thus, claim.debridgefinace[.]com and similar fake platforms should be avoided.
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 deBridge page overview
deBridge is a legitimate cross-chain interoperability and liquidity transfer protocol, facilitating the decentralized transfer of both data and assets across diverse blockchain networks. It allows users to build multi-chain apps, next-layer protocols, NFT bridges, automated cross-chain arbitraging services, and more.
The official site associated with deBridge is debridge[.]finance. Meanwhile, claim.debridgefinace[.]com is a scam website closely resembling the official one. Scammers behind the fake site aim to lure users into connecting their wallets. Through this action, unsuspecting users sign a malicious contract.
The purpose of deceiving users into signing a malicious contract is to get them to activate a cryptocurrency drainer. Once activated, this drainer can siphon cryptocurrency from the "connected" wallets. It automatically sends the victim's cryptocurrency assets to the scammer's wallet.
After a crypto transaction is made, it is impossible (or nearly impossible) to reverse it. This means that victims who fall for scams like claim.debridgefinace[.]com lose their digital assets permanently. Therefore, projects related to cryptocurrency should be researched before connecting wallets or making transactions.
Name | Bogus deBridge page |
Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
Disguise | Legitimate deBridge page |
Related Domain | claim.debridgefinace[.]com |
Detection Names (claim.debridgefinace[.]com) | Fortinet (Spam), 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
The number of scams involving cryptocurrency drainers is growing every day. Typically, fake websites like claim.debridgefinace[.]com share domains similar to the official projects to trick users. Also, they usually have similar (or even identical) page designs. Thus, users should be careful when encountering pages requesting to connect their crypto wallets/provide login information.
More examples of deceptive pages posing as legitimate platforms are the fake "USDT NFT Airdrop", "BRETT Airdrop", and "SatoshiVM Airdrop".
How did I open a scam website?
Fraudulent sites such as claim.debridgefinace[.]com tend to be visited through compromised WordPress platforms or links posted using hijacked social media profiles, often those associated with reputable individuals or organizations. Additionally, individuals may fall victim to scams when engaging with notifications from untrustworthy sources, ads on questionable websites, or links in dubious emails.
Rogue advertising networks serve as another prevalent avenue for promoting scams. Typically, these networks are used by torrent sites, illegal movie streaming pages, and similar sites. In other cases, users may end up on scam websites via ads displayed by installed adware.
How to avoid visiting scam pages?
Do not trust ads, warnings, and other content of this kind while visiting suspicious websites. Check the URLs of websites to see if they match the official ones. Download apps and files from official pages or app stores, and avoid using other sources. Never agree to receive notifications from shady web pages.
Be careful with emails containing links and attachments. Do not open these links or files if an email seems suspicious. Regularly update all apps (and the operating system). Install a reliable security tool. 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 deBridge site (GIF):
Screenshot of the offiial page (debridge[.]finance):
Instant automatic malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ 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 Bogus deBridge page?
- 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 cryptocurrency scam?
A cryptocurrency scam refers to any fraudulent scheme within the cryptocurrency space designed to deceive individuals into taking certain actions.
What is the purpose of a crypto scam?
These scams usually have one purpose: to steal cryptocurrency from individuals. Scammers use various methods to achieve that. For instance, they employ pages designed to activate cryptocurrency drainers or offer high rewards for small investments.
Why do I encounter scams?
Users can end up on scam pages through deceptive links in emails, misleading advertisements on unreliable pages, compromised websites, notifications from shady sites, ads generated by adware, pages associated with rogue advertising networks (e.g., torrent sites), and similar channels.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?
Combo Cleaner possesses the capability to scan each website you visit, effectively identifying any malicious ones, including those crafted to perpetrate various scams. This feature ensures prompt warnings and access restrictions to safeguard your online security.
▼ Show Discussion