Avoid getting scammed by fake "Arbitrum (ARB) NFT Airdrop" websites

What is the fake "Arbitrum (ARB) NFT Airdrop"?

Upon examination, we determined that this "Arbitrum (ARB) NFT Airdrop", as promoted on 2024arb[.]xyz, is fake. This scam is disguised as an Arbitrum website running an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) airdrop.

However, this scheme is in no way associated with Arbitrum Orbit (arbitrum.io), the organization behind it – Arbitrum Foundation (arbitrum.foundation), or any other existing platforms/entities.

This fraudulent giveaway operates as a crypto drainer and empties funds from exposed cryptocurrency wallets.

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 "Arbitrum (ARB) NFT Airdrop" overview

As mentioned in the introduction, this fake airdrop is presented as a site related to Arbitrum – a suite of Ethereum scaling solutions. The scam utilizes Arbitrum's logos and other associated graphics. This deceptive content may appear incredibly convincing, as the real Arbitrum Foundation has previously held actual airdrops of ARB tokens.

It must be reiterated that this scheme is not linked to the Arbitrum Orbit platform, Arbitrum Foundation, or any other Arbitrum products/services.

This scam is promoted on the 2024arb[.]xyz page, but it could be hosted elsewhere. Once a user attempts to take part in this hoax giveaway, they are prompted to connect their digital wallets. Connecting a cryptowallet to this scheme exposes it to a cryptocurrency-draining mechanism.

Basically, scripts are executed to transfer funds from victims' wallets to ones in the scammers' possession. Drainers may be capable of approximating the value of digital assets and prioritizing their theft. These transactions can look vague – hence, they may remain unnoticed for a long time.

Furthermore, cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible because of their nearly untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "Arbitrum (ARB) NFT Airdrop" cannot recover their funds.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Fake Arbitrum (ARB) NFT Airdrop" crypto drainer scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	Airdrop of Arbitrum (ARB) tokens held by Arbitrum Foundation.
Related Domains	2024arb[.]xyz
Detection Names (2024arb[.]xyz)	Trustwave (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (2024arb[.]xyz)	172.67.215.105
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. ▼ 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.

Cryptocurrency drainer scam examples

"Hyperliquid ($HYPE) Airdrop", "Klaytn ($KLAY) Airdrop", and "USDT NFT Airdrop" are just a couple of our latest articles on drainers.

Cryptocurrency-specific scams operate in one of three main ways: draining funds from exposed wallets, targeting cryptowallet log-in credentials, and tricking victims into manually transferring digital assets to scammer-owned wallets.

These schemes can be extremely believable and even perfectly copy genuine websites/platforms. Therefore, we highly recommend vigilance when browsing and investing money.

How did I open a scam website?

Online scams are primarily promoted via spam (e.g., DMs/PMs, emails, SMSes, social media posts, browser notifications, etc.), sites using rogue advertising networks, typosquatting (mistyped URLs), malvertising (intrusive adverts), and adware.

Drainer-type scams are commonly endorsed through intrusive pop-up ads. Some of these advertisements can execute cryptocurrency-draining scripts; they lure users into "connecting" digital wallets by promising various benefits. It is noteworthy that such pop-ups have been encountered on legitimate websites that had been hacked.

Another prevalent promotional technique is social media spam, especially on X (formerly Twitter). Posts and direct/private messages pushing this content can be made using accounts stolen from real companies, organizations, influencers, celebrities, etc.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

It is essential to exercise caution while browsing, as fraudulent and dangerous online content usually appears genuine and innocuous. We recommend paying attention to URLs and entering them carefully.

Additionally, be selective when clicking advertisements, and do not trust offers that sound too good to be true. Do not allow dubious webpages to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny these requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

We advise against visiting/using websites that offer pirated content or other questionable services (e.g., illegal streaming or downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these webpages typically employ rogue advertising networks.

Furthermore, be vigilant with incoming emails and other messages. Do not open attachments or links present in suspicious/irrelevant mail.

Another recommendation is to download only from official/trustworthy sources and treat installations with care (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/hazardous software from infiltrating the system.

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 "Arbitrum (ARB) NFT Airdrop" (GIF):

Screenshot of the official Arbitrum Orbit website (arbitrum.io):

Screenshot of the official Arbitrum Foundation website (arbitrum.foundation):

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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 Arbitrum (ARB) NFT 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 scams are deceptive messages intended to trick victims into performing certain actions, e.g., connecting digital wallets to cryptocurrency drainers, making monetary transactions, providing vulnerable information, downloading/installing programs, purchasing products, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams aim to generate revenue at victims' expense. Scammers primarily profit by obtaining funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., websites, software, products, etc.), abusing/selling sensitive data, and distributing malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "Arbitrum (ARB) NFT Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?

These transactions cannot be reversed due to their practically untraceable nature. Hence, victims of scams like this fake "Arbitrum (ARB) NFT Airdrop" cannot retrieve the stolen assets.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are most commonly endorsed via intrusive advertisements (malvertising), sites using rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), mistyped URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan every website that you visit for deceptive/malicious content. Therefore, should you enter a page hosting such – you will be warned immediately, and further access to the site will be denied.

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