How to avoid falling for scams like "$WSM Airdrop"

What is "$WSM Airdrop"?

Our inspection of the site (claim-wallstreetmemes.pages[.]dev) has shown that it is one of the scams involving fraudulent offers to participate in an airdrop (cryptocurrency giveaway). The scammers behind these scams aim to trick individuals into taking actions that can result in huge financial losses. Thus, it is important to recognize and avoid such scams.

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.

"$WSM Airdrop" in detail

This scam page promotes a $WSM token airdrop, offering visitors the ability to claim, stake, and receive tokens. It recommends users stake their $WSM tokens to earn rewards or claim them directly to their wallets. The page provides a token address and encourages users to add it to their wallets.

Overall, the site poses as a legitimate cryptocurrency airdrop to trick users into engaging with fraudulent activity. Clicking the "Connect Wallet" or "Claim Token" button on the site triggers a prompt to connect a wallet. However, connecting a wallet on this fraudulent page signs a malicious contract.

Upon signing this contract, a cryptocurrency drainer is activated. This drainer is programmed to access the victim's cryptocurrency wallet and automatically transfer all available funds to the scammer's wallet. This results in significant financial loss, and recovering the stolen funds can be extremely difficult, as cryptocurrency transactions are typically irreversible and anonymous.

Thus, users should be wary of offers that seem too good to be true, such as promises of free cryptocurrency. It is important to always verify the legitimacy of any token or project before participating or taking other action to avoid financial loss or other issues.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake $WSM Airdrop offer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can claim, stake, and receive tokens
Disguise	Legitimate $WSM token airdrop
Related Domain	claim-wallstreetmemes.pages[.]dev
Detection Names	Combo Cleaner (Malware), Emsisoft (Phishing), Kaspersky (Phishing), Sophos (Phishing), Webroot (Malicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Unofficial domain, lack of official verification, unrealistic claims, too good-to-be-true promises.
Distribution methods	Compromised/hijacked websites, stolen or fake social media profiles, rogue online pop-up ads, unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible malware infections.
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Conclusion

In conclusion, the scam page reviewed in our article masquerades as a legitimate cryptocurrency airdrop, enticing users with the promise of claiming, staking, and receiving tokens. If victims fall for this scam, the page ultimately activates a malicious cryptocurrency drainer that siphons funds directly to the scammer's wallet.

Therefore, it is essential for individuals to remain vigilant and skeptical of offers that appear too good to be true. Some examples of similar scams are "$CATE Airdrop", "Claim EIGEN", and "$FATTY Presale".

How did I open a scam website?

Scams that involve crypto drainers tend to circulate through hacked WordPress sites or fraudulent social media profiles. Users might also encounter these deceptive sites on torrent platforms, illegal streaming services, adult content sites, or other channels that are associated with rogue advertising networks.

Additionally, users can be directed to scam pages through misleading advertisements and deceptive pop-ups on unreliable websites. Adware or links sent by scammers through email can also mislead individuals into visiting scam websites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Exercise caution when dealing with unexpected emails from unfamiliar senders; do not open attachments or click on links within such messages. Do not agree to receive notifications from suspicious websites, and do not click ads or similar content on sites of this kind. Only download software and files from trusted sources, such as official websites or app stores.

Make sure to keep your operating system and all software up tp date, and conduct regular scans with a reliable security tool. 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 "$WSM Airdrop" scam (GIF):

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake $WSM Airdrop offer?
• 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?

A crypto scam is a deceptive scheme where fraudsters attempt to trick individuals into performing specific actions, such as investing in cryptocurrency or claiming tokens.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

Typically, the scammers orchestrating these schemes aim to collect personal information, gain access to cryptocurrency wallets, and steal funds from unsuspecting victims.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Online scams frequently circulate through hacked websites, fraudulent social media profiles, and misleading advertisements on unreliable sites. Users can also be deceived via emails from scammers, and notifications from suspicious websites.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me scams?

Combo Cleaner has the capability to scan all the websites you visit, effectively identifying any that may be harmful. It detects scam websites and provides immediate alerts, blocking access to ensure users are protected from potential threats.

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