Avoid getting scammed by fake "Artrade #RWA" website
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is a fake "Artrade #RWA" website?
After examining an "Artrade #RWA" webpage, we determined that it is fake. The page – distribution-artrade[.]app – hosts a crypto drainer scam (note that it could be hosted on other domains).
It imitates Artrade (artrade.app) – however, the scam is not associated with this or any other existing platforms. This fraudulent "Artrade #RWA" tricks users into exposing their cyptowallets to a mechanism that drains them of digital assets.
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 $1 billion in crypto to scams – that's about one out of every four dollars reported lost, more than any other payment method.
Fake "Artrade #RWA" website overview
This scam impersonates the Artrade blockchain-driven NFT (Non-Fungible Token) platform offering RWAs – Real-World Assets (tokens representing physical/traditional assets). We discovered the fake "Artrade #RWA" on distribution-artrade[.]app, which is incredibly similar to Artrade's actual domain – artrade.app. Remember that scams can be hosted on multiple domains, and that may be the case with this imitator "Artrade #RWA"
After a digital wallet is connected to this fake platform, scripts are executed for a cryptocurrency-draining mechanism. Essentially, funds are transferred to scammer-owned wallets. Drainers may be able to approximate the value of digital assets and prioritize them. These transactions may appear inconspicuous – thus not raising immediate suspicion.
Most or all of the funds stored in compromised wallets can get stolen. It is noteworthy that these transactions cannot be reversed due to their nearly untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "Artrade #RWA" cannot get their money back.
Name | "Artrade #RWA" crypto drainer scam |
Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer |
Disguise | Artrade platform |
Related Domains | distribution-artrade[.]app |
Detection Names | N/A (VirusTotal) |
Serving IP Address | 172.67.162.12 |
Distribution methods | Compromised websites, social media spam, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications. |
Damage | Monetary loss |
Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Cryptocurrency drainer scam examples
We have analyzed thousands of online scams; "NAVI Claim", "Claim Your AVAIL Rewards", "$SCOTTY Claim", and "LiquidEther Airdrop" are merely some of our latest articles on cryptocurrency drainers.
The purpose of any scam is to gain and subsequently abuse victims' trust. This can be achieved by a variety of false claims, like ones relating to presale events, airdrops/giveaways, new coin/token promotions, account/wallet issues, security upgrades, etc. The end goal is always profit.
While online schemes can be shoddily put together and full of mistakes, they can also be well made and even perfectly mimic existing websites. Therefore, exercise caution when browsing and investing.
How did I open a scam website?
Cryptocurrency drainers are often endorsed via intrusive pop-up ads (malvertising). These advertisements lure users by promising various benefits, and some are operational drainers themselves. It is pertinent to mention that these pop-ups have been encountered on legitimate websites that had been compromised.
Additionally, crypto-specific schemes are commonly promoted through social media spam. The posts and private/direct messages can be made using accounts stolen from real entrepreneurs, celebrities, influences, projects, companies, etc. Hence, this promotional content can look unquestionably genuine.
However, other methods may be used to push these scams as well. Aside from the aforementioned techniques, prevalent endorsement tactics include: sites using rogue advertising networks, different types of spam (e.g., emails, browser notifications, SMSes, forum posts, etc.), typosquatting (mistyped URLs), and adware.
How to avoid visiting scam websites?
We highly recommend being vigilant while browsing since fake and malicious online content typically appears legitimate and innocuous. For example, spam browser notifications and intrusive ads may look harmless – yet redirect users to unreliable/dubious pages (e.g., scam-promoting, gambling, adult dating, etc.).
Therefore, it is important to be selective about which webpages are allowed to display browser notifications. Suspicious ones must not be permitted – instead, these requests have to be ignored or denied (i.e., by pressing "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). It is crucial to be picky about which adverts to click and to be wary of offers that sound too good to be true.
Websites offering pirated programs/media or other questionable services (e.g., illegal streaming or downloading, Torrenting, etc.) must not be used, as they are usually monetized via rogue advertising networks.
It is essential to treat incoming emails and other messages with caution. Attachments or links present in suspicious/irrelevant mail must not be opened, as they can be infectious.
Additionally, all downloads must be made from official/verified channels, and installations have to be treated with care (e.g., by reading terms, using "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting out of supplementary apps come extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software from infiltrating the device.
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 "Artrade #RWA" website (GIF):
Screenshot of the official Artrade website (artrade.app):
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:
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Quick menu:
- What is "Artrade #RWA" 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?
An online scam is a type of deceptive content endorsed on the Internet. It attempts to deceive users into performing specific actions, such as connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, providing vulnerable information, sending money to scammers, buying products, subscribing to services, downloading/installing software, communicating with cyber criminals, etc.
What is the purpose of online scams?
The purpose of online scams is to generate revenue for scammers. Cyber criminals primarily profit by acquiring funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., sites, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing sensitive data, and proliferating malware.
I have lost digital assets to the "Artrade #RWA" scam, can I get my money back?
No, these transactions cannot be reversed because of their nearly untraceable nature.
Why do I encounter online scams?
The most prevalent promotional techniques include: spam (e.g., social media posts, DMs/PMs, emails, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), malvertising, webpages employing rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs, and adware.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?
Combo Cleaner can detect and eliminate all kinds of threats, and this includes scanning visited websites for deceptive/malicious content. Hence, should you enter such a webpage – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be denied.
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