Avoid getting scammed by fake "DApp Airdrop" websites

What is the fake "DApp Airdrop"?

After investigating this "DApp Airdrop", we determined that it is fake. This scam uses a hoax giveaway to lure users into exposing their digital wallets to a cryptocurrency drainer. Victims of the fraudulent "DApp Airdrop" experience financial loss.

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 "DApp Airdrop" overview

This scam website is presented as a synchronizer protocol that ensures secure communication between various cryptowallets and dApps. The scheme uses an airdrop as a lure. It must be emphasized that this giveaway is fake, and it is not associated with any existing platforms or entities.

After a digital wallet is connected to this scheme, it executes scripts for a cryptocurrency drainer. Funds are transferred from victims' wallets to those in the scammers' possession. These transactions are automated and may appear vague, thereby not raising immediate suspicion.

Some drainers can approximate the value of digital assets and prioritize their theft. The scope of the financial loss depends on the worth of the stolen assets.

Due to the practically untraceable nature of these transactions – they cannot be reversed. Therefore, victims of such scams cannot recover their funds.

Threat Summary:

Name	"DApp Airdrop" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	Airdrop (giveaway)
Related Domains	dapp-a.pages[.]dev
Detection Names (dapp-a.pages[.]dev)	Emsisoft (Phishing), G-Data (Phishing), G-Data (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (dapp-a.pages[.]dev)	172.66.47.16
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

"$ZERO Token Distribution", "Allora Token Claim", "LYRA Early Adopter", and "AZUKI Elementals" are merely some examples of crypto drainers.

Cryptocurrency-centered scams primarily work in one of three ways – draining assets from compromised wallets, targeting wallet log-in credentials, and deceiving victims into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets. 

Various lures are utilized to gain victims' trust, such as false claims relating to airdrops/giveaways, new coin/token promotions, suspicious activity detections, wallet/account issues, security updates, etc.

While online schemes are often poorly made and full of mistakes, they can be competently crafted and even perfectly mimic legitimate websites. Therefore, be vigilant when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

Crypto drainers are commonly endorsed via intrusive pop-up adverts (malvertising). Some of the pop-ups are fully functional drainers themselves; they entice users into "linking" digital wallets by promising various benefits. It is worth mentioning that these ads have been encountered on genuine sites that had been compromised.

Additionally, cryptocurrency-specific schemes are prevalent on social media platforms, particularly on X (formerly Twitter). Spam posts and direct/private messages (DMs/PMs) can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., ones originally belonging to real entrepreneurs, celebrities, influencers, projects, companies, organizations, etc.). If the promoted scam aligns with the content regularly posted by the accounts, this creates an undeniable sense of legitimacy.

However, other techniques are not unlikely. Common methods include endorsement via websites employing rogue advertising networks, typosquatting (mistyped URLs), different types of spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, forum posts, browser notifications, etc.), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

We highly recommend being careful while browsing, as fraudulent and malicious online content usually appears legitimate and innocuous. Always pay attention to URLs and enter them carefully. Be wary of ads, and do not trust offers that sound too good to be true.

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

Do not use sides offering pirated programs/media or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages are typically monetized via rogue advertising networks. Be vigilant with incoming emails and other messages; do not open attachments or links found in suspect/irrelevant mail.

Download only from official/trustworthy sources and approach installations with caution (e.g., read terms, explore options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, 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.

The appearance of "DApp Airdrop" 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 "DApp Airdrop" 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 designed to trick users into performing certain actions. For example, victims may be enticed into connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, making monetary transactions, disclosing private information, buying products, subscribing to services, downloading/installing programs, 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, promoting content (e.g., websites, software, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing sensitive data, and distributing malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "DApp Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?

No, they cannot be reversed due to the practically untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions. In other words, victims of scams like "DApp Airdrop" cannot get their money back.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Widespread promotional techniques include: sites that utilize rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads (malvertising), spam (e.g., social media posts, DMs/PMs, emails, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to scan visited websites and detect deceptive/malicious pages. Therefore, should you enter such a webpage – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be blocked.

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