Avoid getting scammed by fake "OpenSea Marketplace" websites

What is the fake "OpenSea Marketplace"?

"Fake OpenSea Marketplace" refers to scam websites imitating the OpenSea platform. We discovered this imitator promoted on openseamarketplace[.]io; however, it could be hosted elsewhere. Users who interact with this fake "OpenSea" inadvertently expose their wallets to a mechanism designed to drain 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 "OpenSea Marketplace" overview

This scam is presented as OpenSea (opensea.io) – an online NFT (Non-Fungible Token) marketplace. The fake page is an almost identical visual copy of the real platform. Interacting with the scam in any way (i.e., clicking on any buttons) prompts the user to "connect" their cryptowallet.

It must be stressed that this scheme is not associated with the actual OpenSea marketplace or any other existing platforms and entities.

"Linking" a wallet to the fraudulent webpage executes scripts for a crypto drainer. It siphons digital assets from victims' wallets by transferring them to those in the cyber criminals' possession. Some drainers can roughly estimate the value of assets and target them first. The transactions may look vague – thus remaining unnoticed for a long time.

What is more, these transactions are irreversible because of their practically untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "OpenSea Marketplace" cannot recover the stolen assets.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Fake OpenSea Marketplace" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	OpenSea marketplace
Related Domains	openseamarketplace[.]io
Detection Names (openseamarketplace[.]io)	N/A (VirusTotal)
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

We have analyzed thousands of online scams; "Fake SaitaSwap", "Ethereum Gas Fee Refunds", "Magna Airdrops", and "Mint Blockchain Wallet Connect" are merely a few of our newest articles on crypto drainers.

Schemes can gain users' trust through a variety of false claims, such as those concerning new coin/token promotions, airdrops/giveaways, wallet/account issues, suspicious activity detections, security updates, and so on.

Online scams can be poorly crafted or competently made and even perfectly copy legitimate platforms/websites. Therefore, it is essential to be vigilant when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

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

Cryptocurrency drainers are often endorsed through intrusive pop-up advertisements. Some can even execute draining scripts; they lure users into exposing their digital wallets by promising various boons. It is pertinent to mention that these pop-ups have been encountered on genuine websites that had been compromised.

Additionally, cryptocurrency-specific scams are commonly pushed through social media spam. The posts and private/direct messages promoting this content can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., ones originally belonging to actual celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, projects, companies, etc.).

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

The Internet is rife with deceptive and dangerous content that appears legitimate and innocuous. Therefore, we recommend exercising caution while browsing.

It is important to pay attention to URLs and type them carefully. Clicking advertisements and allowing sites to deliver browsing notifications necessitates being selective. Suspicious pages must not be permitted to display notifications; instead, such requests have to be ignored or denied (i.e., by pressing "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

We advise against using websites offering pirated programs/media or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages are typically monetized via rogue advertising networks. Incoming emails and other messages must be cautiously approached; attachments or links found in suspect/irrelevant mail must not be opened, as they can be malicious.

Another recommendation is to download only from official/verified channels and treat installations with care (e.g., by studying terms and options, using the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opting out of supplementary apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software from infiltrating systems.

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 "OpenSea Marketplace" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the real OpenSea website (opensea.io):

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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 OpenSea Marketplace" crypto drainer?
• 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 hosted on the Web. It entices victims into performing certain actions, e.g., connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, disclosing sensitive data, making monetary transactions, purchasing products, subscribing to services, downloading/installing software, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue for scammers. Cyber criminals predominantly profit by acquiring funds through deception, promoting content (e.g., websites, software, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing private information, and distributing malware.

I have lost digital assets to the fake "OpenSea Marketplace", can I get my money back?

No, these transactions cannot be reversed due to their nearly untraceable nature. Hence, victims of scams like this fake "OpenSea Marketplace" cannot recover the stolen digital assets.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Prevalent promotional techniques include: websites that use rogue advertising networks, malvertising, spam (e.g., social media posts, emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), typosquatting, and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan visited sites for deceptive and malicious content. Therefore, should you enter a website hosting such – you will be immediately warned, and further access to it will be denied.

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