Avoid losing digital assets to fake "$W Token Distribution" websites

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

We discovered the "$W Token Distribution" scam, as endorsed on whitelistworm.pages[.]dev (note that it could be hosted elsewhere), during a routine inspection of untrustworthy websites.

While the scheme presents users with an opportunity to receive W tokens, it functions as a crypto drainer. The scam aims to steal funds from exposed 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 "$W Token Distribution" website overview

This scam claims that registered, eligible users can receive W tokens. We discovered this scheme promoted on whitelistworm.pages[.]dev, but it could also be hosted on other domains. It must be stressed that this fake "$W Token Distribution" is not associated with any existing platforms or entities.

Once a user "connects" their digital wallet, they essentially sign a malicious contract. It facilitates a cryptocurrency-draining mechanism that drains funds from exposed wallets by transferring them to scammer-owned cryptowallets. This activity is automated and may appear vague, thereby remaining unnoticed for a long time.

Some drainers can approximate the value of digital assets and prioritize their theft. It must be mentioned that these transactions are irreversible due to their practically untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "$W Token Distribution" website cannot get their funds back.

Threat Summary:

Name	"$W Token Distribution" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Fake Claim	Eligible users can receive W tokens.
Related Domains	whitelistworm.pages[.]dev
Detection Names	Combo Cleaner (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), G-Data (Phishing), Kaspersky (Phishing), Trustwave (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	172.66.44.156
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 written about thousands of online scams; "Wallet Guard", "GetFit Mining", and "BLAST GARDEN" are just a couple of our newest articles on drainers.

Various lures are used to gain victims' interest and trust, e.g., claims concerning new coin/token promotions, airdrops/giveaways, account/wallet issues, suspicious activity detections, security upgrades, and so forth.

Online scams are often poorly put together and riddled with mistakes, but they can also be competently made and even perfectly copy legitimate websites. Therefore, always be cautious when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

Crypto drainers are commonly endorsed via intrusive pop-up adverts. Some can execute draining scripts themselves; they entice users into "linking" digital wallets by promising various boons. It is noteworthy that these advertisements have been encountered on genuine sites that had been compromised.

Additionally, cryptocurrency-centered schemes are prevalent on social media networks. We have found many instances of their promotion on the X (widely referred to by its former name – Twitter) social media platform. Promotional posts and direct/private messages can be made using accounts stolen from real entrepreneurs, celebrities, projects, companies, organizations, etc.

Other endorsement techniques are not unlikely. In addition to the aforementioned methods, online scams are promoted via different types of spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, browser notifications, forum posts, etc.), websites that use rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is key to device and user safety. Therefore, always pay attention to URLs and enter them carefully. Be wary of online content making promises that sound too good to be true (e.g., ads, notifications, websites, etc.).

Do not permit suspicious pages to display browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny these requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Do not use sites offering pirated programs/media or other questionable services (e.g., illegal streaming/downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these webpages are usually monetized via rogue advertising networks. Do not open attachments or links found in suspect/irrelevant emails or other messages.

Download only from official/verified sources and approach installations with care (e.g., read the terms, explore options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of supplementary apps, extensions, 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.

Appearance of the fake "$W Token Distribution" website (GIF):

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▼ 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 "$W 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?

Online scams are a type of deceptive content promoted on the Web. It aims to deceive users into performing specific actions, e.g., connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, disclosing vulnerable information, sending money to scammers, buying products, subscribing to services, downloading/installing software, and so on.

What is the purpose of online scams?

The purpose of online scams is to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals predominantly profit by obtaining funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., websites, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing sensitive data, and proliferating malware.

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

These transactions are practically untraceable – hence, they cannot be reversed.

Why do I encounter online scams?

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

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites and detect rogue, deceptive/scam, and malicious pages. It can also block all further access to such sites.

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