Avoid getting scammed by fake "$ZERO Token Distribution" websites

What is the fake "$ZERO Token Distribution" website?

After examining this "$ZERO Token Distribution" website, we determined that it is a scam. When users attempt to take part in this hoax airdrop, they expose their digital wallets to a cryptocurrency drainer. Victims of this scheme can lose all or most of the funds stored in their cryptowallets.

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 "$ZERO Token Distribution" website overview

The scam claims to be distributing ZERO tokens. It must be emphasized that this token giveaway is fake, and it is not associated with any existing platforms or entities.

When an attempt to check eligibility for the airdrop is made, the scheme requests to connect a digital wallet. Following through exposes the cryptocurrency wallet to a draining mechanism. Essentially, the drainer transfers victim's funds to scammer-owned wallets.

Drainers may be able to roughly estimate the value of digital assets and target them first. These transactions are automated and can appear innocuous, thus not raising immediate suspicion.

It must be mentioned that cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible because of their nearly untraceable nature. Hence, victims of scams like "$ZERO Token Distribution" cannot recover the stolen assets.

Threat Summary:

Name	"$ZERO Token Distribution" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	ZERO token giveaway
Related Domains	claiming-zerolend[.]xyz
Detection Names	Trustwave (Phishing), Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	104.21.92.65
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 investigated many crypto-centric scams; "Allora Token Claim", "LYRA Early Adopter", and "MultiversX (EGLD) Rewards" are merely a couple of our latest articles on drainers.

Aside from utilizing draining mechanisms, these schemes can target wallet log-in credentials or deceive users into manually transferring funds to cryptowallets in scammers' possession.

The Internet is rife with deceptive and malicious content. Various lures are used to gain victims' trust, e.g., false claims relating to airdrops/giveaways, new coin/token promotions, account/wallet issues, security upgrades, and so forth.

Keep in mind that online schemes are not always poorly crafted and full of mistakes; they can be competently disguised as content associated with genuine entities (e.g., companies, organizations, service providers, etc.).

How did I open a scam website?

In general, online scams are primarily promoted via websites employing rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads (malvertising), spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, DMs/PMs, social media posts, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

Crypto drainers specifically are often endorsed via intrusive pop-up advertisements. Some are even capable of executing draining scripts themselves; they entice users into "connecting" digital wallets by promising various boons. It is noteworthy that these pop-ups may be encountered on legitimate sites that have been compromised.

Social media spam is another prevalent promotional technique; we have found many instances on X (commonly referred to by its former name – Twitter). The spam posts and direct/private messages can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., ones originally belonging to real entrepreneurs, celebrities, influencers, companies, projects, etc.).

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is key to Internet safety. Therefore, take note of URLs and type them carefully. Be wary of online advertisements, and do not trust offers that sound too good to be true.

Additionally, be selective when allowing websites to deliver browser notifications. Do not permit suspicious pages to display such adverts, and instead ignore or deny these requests (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Do not use sites offering pirated content or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages are usually monetized via rogue advertising networks. Treat incoming emails and other messages with care; do not open attachments or links found in suspect/irrelevant mail.

Download only from official/trustworthy sources and approach installations with vigilance (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, tools, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software (like adware) 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.

The appearance of "$ZERO Token Distribution" scam (GIF):

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:
▼ 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 "$ZERO Token Distribution" 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?

Essentially, online scams are deceptive messages intended to trick users into performing specific actions; this content is hosted on the Web. To elaborate, victims may be deceived into connecting digital wallets to cryptocurrency drainers, sending money to scammers, providing sensitive information, downloading/installing software, purchasing products, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

The motivation behind creating online scams is profit. Cyber criminals primarily generate revenue by obtaining funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., websites, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing private data, and proliferating malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "$ZERO Token Distribution" scam, can I get my money back?

These transactions are irreversible because they are practically untraceable. Therefore, victims of scams like "$ZERO Token Distribution" cannot get their money back.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are predominantly endorsed via sites utilizing rogue advertising networks, intrusive adverts, spam (e.g., emails, DMs/PMs, SMSes, social media posts, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs, and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to detect and eliminate all kinds of threats. It is capable of scanning visited websites for rogue, deceptive/scam, and malicious content. Therefore, should you happen upon such a webpage – Combo Cleaner will warn you immediately and block all further access to the page.

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