How to recognize fake giveaways like "$CAT Airdrop"

What is the fake "$CAT Airdrop"?

Upon analyzing the page (now-catcoin[.]com), we discovered that it is a fraudulent scheme posing as an airdrop (cryptocurrency giveaway). Scammers created this deceptive web page to trick users into taking actions that could result in the loss of their cryptocurrency holdings. Now-catcoin[.]com and similar fraudulent sites 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.

"$CAT Airdrop" scam detail

Now-catcoin[.]com claims that $CAT airdrop registration is now live and offers individuals a chance to receive free $CAT cryptocurrency by registering within 24 hours. Clicking the "Claim Now" button on the site leads to a request to connect a wallet. However, connecting a wallet on now-catcoin[.]com signs a malicious contract.

Upon signing a malicious contract, now-catcoin[.]com activates a cryptocurrency drainer intended to steal cryptocurrency. This drainer automatically transfers cryptocurrency from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. Thus, following instructions on now-catcoin[.]com can lead to a significant financial loss.

It is important to note that cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible (unless the recipient sends the received cryptocurrency back to the sender's wallet). Victims who fall for schemes like the one on now-catcoin[.]com usually lose their cryptocurrency holdings permanently.

Individuals should always make sure that crypto platforms are legitimate before transferring cryptocurrency, providing personal information, connecting wallets, or taking other actions to avoid monetary loss, identity theft, or other negative consequences.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake $CAT cryptocurrency airdrop
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can receive free $CAT cryptocurrency
Disguise	Legitimate $CAT airdrop (giveaway)
Related Domain	now-catcoin[.]com
Detection Names (now-catcoin[.]com)	G-Data (Phishing), Seclookup (Malicious), Trustwave (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
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

In conclusion, scammers use fraudulent websites designed to trick users into activating cryptocurrency drainers to steal cryptocurrency from them. Once the funds are drained, recovering them is nearly impossible. This highlights the need for caution when using cryptocurrency platforms and verifying their trustworthiness.

A couple examples of scams that involve crypto drainers are fradulent "Base Mafia", "Drop Coin", and "DappWalletnode" platforms.

How did I open a scam website?

Scam websites created to trick users into activating crypto drainers are often promoted through hijacked WordPress sites or fake (or stolen) social media accounts. Users may also land on scam sites via websites associated with shady advertising networks (e.g., torrent sites, illegal movie streaming platforms, and adult sites).

Additionally, scam pages can be encountered through deceptive ads, fake pop-ups on untrustworthy websites, adware-generated ads, misleading notifications, and links in phishing emails.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Avoid clicking on any links or opening attachments in suspicious emails or messages (e.g., messages received on social media). Download software and files from reputable sources, like official pages or app stores. Do not agree to receive notifications from shady sites. Avoid interacting with ads, buttons, pop-ups, etc., on dubious websites.

Regularly update the operating system (and installed software) and scan your computer for threats. Use a reputable security tool (or tools) for protection. 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 a website promoting a fake $CAT airdrop (GIF):

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake $CAT cryptocurrency airdrop?
• 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 crypto scam?

These are scams where scammers employ fake crypto platforms, phishing schemes, or false investment offers to trick people into taking actions that benefit them.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

Typically, scammers seek to steal cryptocurrency or personal information from people. One of the common methods to achieve it is to deceive individuals into activating cryptocurrency drainers.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scam websites are often promoted through hijacked WordPress sites, fake social media accounts, and shady advertising networks often employed by torrent, adult sites, and similar platforms. Users may also encounter scams through deceptive ads, fake pop-ups, adware, misleading notifications, and misleading links sent via email.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan every website you visit to detect and block malicious ones, including scam sites. If a dangerous site is detected, you will receive immediate alerts.

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