Avoid getting scammed by fake "$PEPU Presale" websites

What is the fake "$PEPU Presale"?

This "$PEPU Presale" is a scam. It is presented as a presale event for a memecoin. However, this fake site promotes a phishing scam targeting digital wallet log-in credentials. Victims of this scheme risk having their wallets hijacked and the funds stored therein – stolen.

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 "$PEPU Presale" overview

This scam is disguised as a memecoin presale event. It must be emphasized that this deceptive page is not associated with any existing digital currencies, platforms, or entities. This fake "$PEPU Presale" is a phishing scam.

When users attempt to connect their digital wallets, they are promoted to enter their log-in credentials. The site records the provided passphrases and sends them to scammers, thus enabling the theft of the cryptowallet.

The funds transferred out of compromised wallets cannot be recovered due to the practically untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "$PEPU Presale" website cannot recover the stolen digital assets.

Threat Summary:

Name	"$PEPU Presale" phishing scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Disguise	Memecoin presale event
Related Domains	claimpepeunchain.pages[.]dev, presales-pepeunchained[.]com, join-pepeunchained[.]com
Detection Names (claimpepeunchain.pages[.]dev)	N/A (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (claimpepeunchain.pages[.]dev)	172.66.44.55
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-specific scam examples

We have examined countless crypto-targeting scams; "Wallet Guard", "GetFit Mining", "Solana Giveaway", and "Smart Node Chain" are just some of our newest articles.

These schemes primarily function in one of three ways – phishing for wallet log-in credentials, using draining mechanisms to siphon funds from exposed wallets, and tricking users into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets.

Various lures are used to entice victims, such as claims concerning presale events, new coins/token promotions, airdrops/giveaways, account/wallet issues, and so forth.

Due to how prevalent online scams are and how well-crafted they can be – we highly recommend exercising caution when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

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

Cryptocurrency-specific schemes are commonly endorsed via social media spam. These posts and private/direct messages can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., ones originally belonging to real projects, companies, entrepreneurs, celebrities, influencers, etc.). Provided the scam aligns with the content posted by the account ordinarily, this creates an incredible impression of legitimacy.

Additionally, crypto drainers are often promoted via intrusive pop-up advertisements. These ads may be fully functional drainers themselves; they lure users into "connecting" digital wallets by promising various benefits. It is worth mentioning that these pop-ups have been encountered on legitimate sites that had been compromised.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is paramount to online safety. Therefore, always take note of URLs and type them attentively. Be wary of adverts and other online content making promises that sound too good to be true.

Do not use sites offering pirated software/media or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages usually employ rogue advertising networks.

Do not enable questionable pages to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny these requests (i.e., select "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). Treat incoming emails and other messages with vigilance; do not open attachments or links present in suspicious/irrelevant mail.

Download from official/trustworthy sources and approach installations cautiously (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of supplementary apps, extensions, tools, etc.) – to prevent bundled/dangerous software (like adware) from infiltrating devices.

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 "$PEPU Presale" website (GIF):

Another variant of "$PEPU Presale" drainer website:

Yet another example of $PEPU-themed drainer website (join-pepeunchained[.]com):

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Quick menu:

• What is "$PEPU Presale" phishing scam?
• 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 Internet that aims to trick users into performing certain actions. To elaborate, victims may be enticed into disclosing sensitive information (e.g., log-in credentials, personally identifiable details, credit card numbers, etc.), connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, sending money to scammers, buying products, downloading/installing programs, and so forth.

What is the purpose of online scams?

The purpose of online scams is to generate revenue for scammers. Profit can be made by abusing/selling private information, promoting content (e.g., sites, products, services, etc.), obtaining funds through deception, and spreading malware.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by an online scam, what should I do?

If you have provided your log-in credentials – change the passwords/passphrases of all potentially exposed accounts and inform their official support without delay. However, if you've disclosed other private information (e.g., ID card details, passport photos/scans, credit/debit card numbers, etc.) – immediately contact the corresponding authorities.

I have lost digital assets to the "$PEPU Presale" scam, can I get my money back?

No, these transactions cannot be reversed due to their practically untraceable nature. Hence, victims of scams like this fake "$PEPU Presale" webpage cannot get their money back.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are primarily promoted via malvertising (intrusive advertisements), websites utilizing rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, DMs/PMs, browser notifications, social media posts, etc.), typosquatting (mistyped URLs), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning every website that you visit for deceptive/malicious content. Therefore, should you happen upon such a site – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be restricted.

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