How to avoid falling for scams like the fake BlockDAG presale

What is "BlockDAG Presale Scam"?

We have inspected the page (block-dagxyznetwork[.]live) and discovered that it promotes a fake presale of BlockDAG coins. This website is designed by scammers who seek to lure unsuspecting individuals into taking action that could result in significant financial losses. Users should avoid visiting block-dagxyznetwork[.]live and other deceptive platforms.

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.

"BlockDAG Presale Scam" in detail

BlockDAG is a layer one (L1) blockchain that aims to solve scalability issues found in traditional blockchains. Using a DAG structure, BlockDAG can make transaction processing faster and more efficient. Scammers behind block-dagxyznetwork[.]live seel to trick individuals into believing that the site is a legitimate platform offering to join a BlockDAG coin presale.

The true intention of this scam web page is to lure individuals into thinking they need to connect their wallets to get BlockDAG coins at a low price. In reality, connecting a wallet on this site signs a malicious contract that activates a cryptocurrency drainer. This drainer transfers funds from the victim's wallet to the scammer's wallet.

The most immediate effect is the loss of cryptocurrency, which can vary in amount depending on the victim's holdings. Cryptocurrency transactions are typically irreversible. Once the funds have been sent to the scammer's wallet Once the funds are transferred to the scammer's wallet, the victim has limited options for recovering them.

Therefore, being aware of these risks is crucial for anyone involved in cryptocurrency to safeguard their assets effectively.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake BlockDAG Presale website
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can get BlockDAG coins for a lower price
Disguise	Legitimate BlockDAG presale
Related Domain	block-dagxyznetwork[.]live
Detection Names (block-dagxyznetwork[.]live)	alphaMountain.ai (Suspicious), Kaspersky (Phishing), 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/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 BlockDAG scam exemplifies the deceptive tactics used by scammers to exploit individuals seeking opportunities in cryptocurrency. Falling for such scams usually results in financial loss or identity theft. Users are advised to make sure crypto (and other) platforms are legitimate before providing personal information, investing funds, or taking other action.

More examples of scams similar to the one described in our article are "$W Token Distribution", "$PEPU Presale", and "GetFit Mining".

How did I open a scam website?

Scams like the web page (block-dagxyznetwork[.]live) hosting a fake BlockDAG presale are often spread through compromised social media accounts, including those of celebrities or well-known companies, as well as through hijacked/compromised WordPress sites. Fraudulent emails that contain links to fake websites, forums, or community sites are also used to promote scams.

Additionally, users can accidentally land on scam websites by typing URLs incorrectly, through notifications from questionable pages, misleading advertisements, or pop-up messages on unreliable websites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Avoid agreeing to receive notifications from suspicious websites, and do not click ads or similar content on such sites. Be careful with links or files in unexpected emails from unknown senders (the same applies to messages received via social media). Download software and files from reputable sources, such as official websites or app stores.

Additionally, ensure that your operating system and all software are always up to date, and perform regular scans using 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 "BlockDAG Presale Scam" (GIF):

Example of an email promoting BlockDAG-themed drainer website:

Text presented within:

Subject: Blockchain Support Team

"********" Exciting News Blockchain User, Get 10x on your cryptocurrencies when you invest in BlockDag BlockDag capitalizes fast with $10 Million raised in 24hours. Join the BlockDAG crypto presale, engage with the project, and see your contribution grow to new heights. BlockDAG, inspired by Bitcoin, is the world’s most advanced layer 1 blockchain. A cutting-edge Proof-of-Work (PoW) algorithm that delivers industry-leading speeds, unbeatable security, and high decentralization. You have received this email because you are a customer of Blockchain Network. However, if you receive this email and you are not a customer on the Blockchain Network, Kindly Disregard.

 

Click here

Screenshot of the promoted BlockDAG-themed drainer website (blockdag-network[.]tech):

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake BlockDAG Presale website?
• 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 involves dishonest tactics used by scammers to mislead individuals into making specific decisions, such as investing in cryptocurrency or acquiring tokens.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

Generally, the scammers behind these schemes aim to obtain personal information, gain access to victims' cryptocurrency wallets, and (or) siphon off their funds.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scams are commonly promoted through compromised social media accounts, hijacked WordPress sites,  fraudulent emails containing links to fake websites, forums, notifications from dubious pages, misleading ads, pop-ups, etc.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan all the websites you visit, effectively identifying any that may be malicious. It detects scam websites and sends immediate alerts, blocking access to keep users safe from potential threats.

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