How to identify fraudulent schemes like the "Node AI" scam

What is the fake "Node AI" page?

We have inspected the page (register.nodeainetwork[.]com) and discovered that it is a fraudulent website mimicking nodes[.]ai, a legitimate platform. The purpose of the fake web page is to trick visitors into taking action that could lead to significant financial losses. Therefore, this website should be ignored/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.

Fake "Node AI" platform in detail

Node AI (nodes[.]ai) is a decentralized platform that provides secure and transparent access to GPU and AI resources through blockchain technology. Its key features are $GPU token staking for revenue sharing, AI server rentals with powerful GPU capabilities, GPU lending for passive income, on-demand AI nodes, AI API endpoints for tasks like image and video processing, and staking opportunities for earning Ethereum rewards

The fake website (register.nodeainetwork[.]com) is designed to trick individuals into believing they can use the aforementioned features upon connecting a wallet. However, connecting a wallet through the fraudulent site signs a malicious contract that activates a cryptocurrency drainer. Once enabled, this drainer can steal funds.

This drainer operates by automatically transferring crypto funds from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. After the funds are transferred, victims usually find it impossible to recover their cryptocurrency, as these transactions are often irreversible. This can lead to substantial financial losses.

Therefore, users should always verify the legitimacy of cryptocurrency platforms before connecting wallets, making transfers, or taking other actions.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake Node AI platform
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Disguise	Legitimate Node AI platform
Related Domain	register.nodeainetwork[.]com
Detection Names (register.nodeainetwork[.]com)	N/A (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.
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.

Conclusion

In summary, scams of this type are designed to steal cryptocurrency from unsuspecting individuals. When users inadvertently sign malicious contracts, their funds are sent to the scammer's wallet. Thus, it is highly advisable to ensure cryptocurrency platforms are reliable before taking any action.

Examples of other fake platforms are "$RUNE Loot Crate Claims", "$KINTO TGE Check Allocations", and "$PAWS Token Distribution".

How did I open a scam website?

Scams aimed at tricking visitors into activating cryptocurrency drainers are often promoted through stolen or fake social media accounts and compromised WordPress sites. Moreover, scam websites can be opened via links in fraudulent emails or messages and through web pages that utilize rogue advertising networks, commonly found on torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, etc.

Users may also encounter these scams through notifications from unreliable pages, as well as misleading pop-ups, ads, links, and buttons found on websites of this kind.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Do not open links or attachments in unexpected emails (or other messages) from unfamiliar senders. Always download software and files from reputable sources, such as official websites or app stores. Do not agree to receive notifications from suspicious websites. Avoid clicking ads or pop-ups encountered on questionable sites.

Additionally, ensure that your operating system and applications are regularly updated, 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 the fake "Node AI" site (GIF):

Real official/website (nodes[.]ai):

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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 Fake Node AI platform?
• 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 often a fake platform that uses deception to manipulate individuals into taking specific actions that benefit scammers.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

Scammers behind these schemes can have differnt goals. However, most of them aim to obtain personal information, access victims' cryptocurrency wallets, or siphon off their funds.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Users land on scam pages via deceptive ads, pop-ups, and notifications from questionable pages. They can also open them through links in fraudulent emails or those received via hacked social media accounts. Pages that use rogue advertising networks (like torrent sites and illegal movie streaming pages) can also direct users to scams.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me scams?

Combo Cleaner scans websites and identifies any potentially harmful sites. It also detects scam websites, delivers immediate alerts, and blocks access to protect users from online threats.

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