How to identify fake platforms like "Magna Airdrops"

What is the fake "Magna Airdrops" site?

We have inspected this site and found that it is a scam website mimicking the real Magna (magna[.]so) platform. On this scam page, individuals are offered to participate in crypto giveaways (airdrops). Scammers behind it aim to steal cryptocurrency from unsuspecting users. Thus, this fraudulent page 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 "Magna Airdrops" page in detail

Magna (magna[.]so) offers a comprehensive token management solution, covering everything from pre-launch to post-launch stages. With Magna, protocols can distribute tokens through airdrops or audited smart contracts, set up custom vesting schedules, monitor token plans via employee and investor dashboards, and execute transactions using multi-signature functionality.

The fake website (see screenshot above) offers to claim over a hundred airdrops in one click and potentially earn up to $80,000 in total rewards. Attempting to claim the supposed airdrops leads to a request to connect a wallet. Doing so on this fake web page results in signing a malicious contract.

Once the malicious contract is signed, a cryptocurrency drainer is activated. This malicious tool is designed to automatically transfer digital assets (cryptocurrency) from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. Thus, victims of this scam can lose their cryptocurrency without the ability to retrieve it (cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible).

Thus, before engaging with any crypto platform, users are strongly advised to conduct thorough research, verify the platform's credibility, and check the reviews. It is recommended to exercise caution when encountering platforms that promise unrealistic returns or profits. Such claims are often signs of fraudulent schemes.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake Magna Airdrops page
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can claim up to $80,000 in rewards
Disguise	Legitimate Magna platform (magna[.]so)
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.
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Conclusion

Scams involving crypto drainers are becoming increasingly prevalent. Typically, scammers create fake websites resembling real ones to lure unsuspecting users into activating draining tools that empty their cryptocurrency wallets. With the proliferation of fraudulent platforms, such as the one detailed in our article, users must exercise extreme caution when engaging with cryptocurrency platforms.

Some examples of similar scam websites are the fake "Aerodrome $veAERO Voting Rewards", "Manta Galaxies Registration", and "Bitget Wallet (BWB) Airdrop" platforms.

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers often use stolen social media accounts or hijacked WordPress web pages to lure users into their scams. They also use deceptive online advertisements, pop-ups, notifications from dubious pages, ads generated by adware, and similar channels to promote their fraudulent schemes.

Additionally, users may be tricked into visiting scam sites via deceptive emails or messages containing links. In other cases, users land on scam pages through sites associated with rogue advertising networks (e.g., torrent sites or pages offering illegal movie streaming services).

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Always scrutinize website URLs for any suspicious or misspelled variations of legitimate domains. Do not trust pop-ups, ads, buttons, notifications, and similar content provided by dubious web pages. Be careful with unexpected emails or messages containing links. Use reliable search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo.

Download apps from official web pages or app stores and avoid permitting shady sites to send notifications. Keep all apps (including security tools and the operating system) up to date. Also, use a reputable security suite for better protection against scams and potentially malicious apps.

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 "Magna Airdrops" scam website (GIF):

The real Magna (magna[.]so) page:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Magna Airdrops 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 fake giveaway?

A deceitful giveaway is a scheme in which scammers entice individuals with the promise of prizes or rewards, such as gift cards or cryptocurrency, in exchange for their participation.

What is the purpose of a fake giveaway?

Fraudulent airdrops and similar giveaways are designed to trick participants into divulging personal information, transferring funds, activating cryptocurrency draining tools, or performing other actions benefitting scammers.

Why do I encounter fake giveaways and other scams?

Scam websites are promoted mainly through deceptive ads, pop-ups, and emails (or messages) containing links. Moreover, these sites can be encountered via platforms employing untrustworthy advertising networks, links shared via compromised social media profiles, or advertisements presented by rogue apps.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pags hosting scams?

Combo Cleaner is equipped to scrutinize web pages and identify suspicious ones, including scam sites. Once detected, it alerts users and limits access to these potentially harmful websites.

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