Avoid getting scammed by fake "Coinbase Crypto Giveaway" websites

What kind of scam is "Coinbase Crypto Giveaway"?

After investigating this "Coinbase Crypto Giveaway" we determined that it is fake. This scam deceives users into transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets by promising a doubled return. It must be stressed that this giveaway is a hoax, and it is not associated with the real Coinbase platform or its developer – Coinbase Global, Inc.

"Coinbase Crypto Giveaway" scam overview

This scam giveaway is supposedly distributing $100,000,000 in Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) cryptocurrencies. Each user can participate in this event only once. It operates by doubling the amount of BTC or ETH cryptocurrency that a user contributes.

It must be reiterated that this event is fake, and it is in no way associated with Coinbase. Therefore, victims of this scheme will not receive double the amount they "contribute" to the provided wallet – in fact, they will lose all the funds they transfer.

Furthermore, because of the practically untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions – they cannot be reversed. Hence, victims of such scams cannot get their money back.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Coinbase Crypto Giveaway" scam website
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants will receive twice the amount of BTC or ETH cryptocurrency that they contribute to the event.
Disguise	Coinbase
Cyber Criminal Cryptowallet Addresses	bc1qygw4wr3kel6pqum6gpecus5w5q0sm4ns527ual (BTC), 0x83b0EF1572c78EC0b6195e4a45937547B35369FF (ETH)
Related Domains	coinbase-double[.]net, 2xcoinbase[.]net
Detection Names (coinbase-double[.]net)	Combo Cleaner (Phishing), Cluster25 (Phishing), CRDF (Malicious), Criminal IP (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (coinbase-double[.]net)	104.21.16.161
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, 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.

Crypto scams in general

Cryptocurrency-specific scams typically operate in one of three ways: tricking victims into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets, targeting cryptowallet log-in credentials, and using crypto currency-draining mechanisms to steal digital assets from compromised wallets automatically.

We have investigated thousands of online scams; "Metis Dao Quest Registration", "APECOIN Airdrop", "IRS Crypto", "Artrade #RWA", "NAVI Claim", and "Claim Your AVAIL Rewards" are just some examples of ones targeting digital assets.

These scams can be poorly made and full of mistakes, or they can be competently crafted and even believably disguised as content associated with legitimate entities (e.g., companies, organizations, institutions, authorities, service providers, etc.).

Due to how widespread deceptive/malicious content is on the Web and how well-made it can be – we strongly recommend exercising caution while browsing.

How did I open a scam website?

Cryptocurrency-centered scams are commonly promoted via intrusive pop-up ads (malvertising). Some of these advertisements are fully operational drainers; they lure users into "connecting" digital wallets by promising various boons. It is noteworthy that these pop-ups have been observed on genuine sites that had been compromised.

Another widespread promotional technique is social media spam. The posts and DMs/PMs endorsing these scams can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., originally belonging to real projects, companies, celebrities, influencers, etc.) – thus, they can appear undoubtedly legitimate.

However, these schemes could be pushed by relying on other methods, e.g., different types of spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, browser notifications, forum posts, etc.), webpages using rogue advertising networks, typosquatting (mistyped URLs), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

We recommend vigilance when browsing since fraudulent and malicious online content typically appears legitimate and harmless. For example, while intrusive ads and spam browser notifications may look innocuous – they redirect to questionable websites (e.g., scam-promoting, adult dating, gambling, etc.).

Therefore, it is important to be selective when clicking advertisements and allowing sites to deliver browser notifications. Dubious pages must not be permitted to display browser notifications; instead, these requests have to be ignored or denied (i.e., by pressing "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

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

Incoming emails and other messages must be approached with caution. Attachments or links found in suspect/irrelevant mail must not be opened, as they can be harmful or infectious.

Additionally, all downloads must be made from official/verified channels, and installations have to be approached with care (e.g., by studying terms and options, using the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting out of all supplementary apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/dangerous 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.

Text presented in "Coinbase Crypto Giveaway" scam:

BIGGEST CRYPTO
GIVEAWAY OF $100,000,000

During this unique event, you have the opportunity to take a share of 1,000 BTC & 10,000 ETH. Have a look at the rules and don't miss out on this. You can only participate once!

Participate

The appearance of "Coinbase Crypto Giveaway" scam (GIF):

Another appearance of "Coinbase Crypto Giveaway" scam website (2xcoinbase[.]net):

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Quick menu:

• What is "Coinbase Crypto Giveaway" scam 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 an online scam?

Basically, online scams are deceptive messages intended to trick users into performing certain actions. For example, victims may be enticed/scared into connecting digital wallets to cryptocurrency drainers, disclosing vulnerable information, sending money to scammers, downloading/installing software, purchasing products, subscribing to services, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams aim to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals primarily profit by acquiring funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., sites, software, services, etc.), abusing/selling sensitive data, and proliferating malware.

I have sent cryptocurrency to an address presented in the "Coinbase Crypto Giveaway" scam, can I get my money back?

Cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed because of their nearly untraceable nature. Hence, victims of scams like "Coinbase Crypto Giveaway" cannot recover their funds.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are mainly promoted via webpages using rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads, spam (e.g., emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, social media posts, browser notifications, etc.), typosquatting (misspelled URLs), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to scan every single website you visit. It can detect rogue, deceptive/scam, and malicious pages. Hence, should you enter such a site – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be denied.

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