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How to identify fake giveaways like "Floki Airdrop"

Also Known As: Fake Floki Airdrop
Damage level: Medium

What is fake "Floki Airdrop"?

We have inspected the airdrop-floki[.]homes site and found that it is a copy of the original floki[.]com page. Scammers employ airdrop-floki[.]homes to trick users into participating in a fake airdrop (giveaway). This scam website is created to steal cryptocurrency from unsuspecting individuals.

Floki Airdrop scam

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 "Floki Airdrop" in detail

Floki (FLOKI), also known as Floki Inu, is a cryptocurrency that serves as the utility token within the Floki ecosystem. It emerged from the enthusiasm of fans and participants in the Shiba Inu (SHIB) community. As we mentioned in the introduction, the real floki[.]com site is not associated with the scam site (airdrop-floki[.]homes) created by fraudsters to steal cryptocurrency.

On airdrop-floki[.]homes, users are offered to participate in the Floki airdrop (a cryptocurrency giveaway). The requirement for participation is to connect a wallet. However, connecting a wallet on airdrop-floki[.]homes results in signing a malicious contract that activates a cryptocurrency drainer.

This cryptocurrency drainer is designed to automatically transfer funds (crypto assets) from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. Simply put, the drainer siphons cryptocurrency from the victim's wallet. It is important to note that such transactions are irreversible. Therefore, victims who activate a cryptocurrency drainer via airdrop-floki[.]homes cannot retrieve lost funds.

Users should be careful when encountering sites like airdrop-floki[.]homes to avoid financial loss. It is advised to thoroughly research platforms before providing personal information or transferring funds on crypto-related platforms.

Threat Summary:
Name Fake Floki Airdrop
Threat Type Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim Participants can receive free Floki cryptocurrency
Disguise Legitimate giveaway hosted by Floki
Related Domain airdrop-floki[.]homes
Detection Names (airdrop-floki[.]homes) N/A (VirusTotal)
Symptoms Unofficial 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)

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Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to be careful while online. With the prevalence of scams and fraudulent activities, especially in the realm of cryptocurrencies and giveaways, users must verify the legitimacy of websites and offers before providing personal information or engaging in transactions.

Examples of fraudulent schemes similar to the one described in our article are the fake "Hyperliquid ($HYPE) Airdrop", "Klaytn ($KLAY) Airdrop", and "USDT NFT Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

Scams can be promoted through multiple avenues. Users might come across upon scam sites via deceptive advertisements on dubious websites, links shared on social media through compromised or counterfeit accounts, phishing emails, or ads generated by adware.

Additionally, scammers can use notifications from unreliable websites and pages linked to rogue advertising networks, such as torrent sites or illegal movie streaming pages. Typically, users are directed to scam sites by engaging with deceptive content orchestrated by scammers.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Do not trust unexpected or irrelevant emails from unknown senders and avoid opening files or links in such emails. Download programs and files from reliable sources (official websites and app stores) Avoid clicking ads, pop-ups, and similar content on suspicious sites. Keep the operating system and installed apps up to date.

Use reputable security software. Additionally, avoid agreeing to receive notifications from shady pages and regularly scan your computer for 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 "Floki Airdrop" (GIF):

Appearance of Floki Airdrop scam

Real Floki website (floki[.[com):

Floki airdrop scam real website (floki.com)

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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:

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 giveaway?

A fake giveaway is a fraudulent tactic wherein scammers falsely promise prizes or rewards, such as gift cards or cryptocurrency, to participants. Despite the promises made, participants never actually receive the rewards.

What is the purpose of a fake giveaway?

Fake giveaways seek to entice victims into divulging personal information, clicking on harmful links, transferring funds, or undertaking actions that ultimately benefit the fraudsters. Scams like the fake Floki airdrop are designed to steal cryptocurrency through crypto drainers.

Why do I encounter fake giveaways?

Users often come across fake giveaways through deceptive advertisements, links shared on social media from compromised accounts, phishing emails, and advertisements from adware. These scams are also propagated through notifications from unreliable websites and pages associated with rogue advertising networks.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scam websites?

Combo Cleaner scans websites and identifies malicious ones, including those crafted to deceive users. It promptly issues warnings and limits access to such sites, ensuring your online safety.

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About the author:

Tomas Meskauskas

Tomas Meskauskas - expert security researcher, professional malware analyst.

I am passionate about computer security and technology. I have an experience of over 10 years working in various companies related to computer technical issue solving and Internet security. I have been working as an author and editor for pcrisk.com since 2010. Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay informed about the latest online security threats. Contact Tomas Meskauskas.

PCrisk security portal is brought by a company RCS LT. Joined forces of security researchers help educate computer users about the latest online security threats. More information about the company RCS LT.

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Malware activity

Global malware activity level today:

Medium threat activity

Increased attack rate of infections detected within the last 24 hours.

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