How to identify fake giveaways like "$CATS Airdrop Live"

What is "$CATS Airdrop Live"?

During our examination of the site (catzclaim.pages[.]dev) promoting a $CATS airdrop, we found that it is not a legitimate crypto giveaway. Usually, these types of scams are used to extract money or personal information from unsuspecting individuals. Thus, it is advisable not to trust this platform.

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.

"$CATS Airdrop Live" scam overview

The site claims that the user has been on Telegram for a while and that it is time to get rewarded. Upon clicking the "Claim Reward" button, the user is informed that they are the winner and instructed to connect a wallet to claim their reward. It is possible that this scam involves a cryptocurrency drainer.

Users may be requested to perform steps that would sign a malicious contract that activates a cryptocurrency drainer. The purpose of this drainer is to transfer crypto funds from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. After the cryptocurrency is sent, victims usually cannot retrieve their funds.

These transactions are permanent and cannot be reversed without the other party's (recipient's) involvement. Thus, unknowingly executing a crypto drainer can result in major financial losses. It is also possible that the scammers behind catzclaim.pages[.]dev aim to steal crypto wallet login credentials.

This would allow them to access wallets and drain them. The difference between activating a drainer and disclosing login credentials to scammers is that a drainer executes the theft automatically while disclosing credentials allows scammers to carry out the theft manually. Either way, falling for the scam promoted on catzclaim.pages[.]dev can result in financial loss.

Threat Summary:

Name	$CATS Airdrop Live fake platform
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Individuals can claim rewards ($CATS)
Disguise	Legitimate $CATS giveaway
Related Domain	catzclaim.pages[.]dev
Detection Names	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

The site promoting a $CATS coin giveaway resembles scams intended to lure individuals into unknowingly activating cryptocurrency drainers. However, the ultimate goal may be different. Either way, users should not trust catzclaim.pages[.]dev and always verify the legitimacy of airdrops or other offers before taking action to avoid potential negative outcomes.

Some examples of scams involving cryptocurrency drainers are "Lido $stETH Airdrop", "EtherMail ($EMT) Airdrop", and "Binance USDC Distribution".

How did I open a scam website?

Scams that aim to trick users into activating cryptocurrency drainers are often promoted through stolen or fake social media accounts. Compromised WordPress sites are also used for their promotion. Furthermore, users can land on scam pages through notifications from untrustworthy websites, misleading pop-ups, ads, links, and buttons.

Scam websites can also be opened through links in deceptive emails, messages, similar communications, and pages that use rogue advertising networks. These networks are commonly found on torrent sites, illegal movie streaming platforms, adult sites, and similar websites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Always download files and software from reliable sources (official websites or app stores). Be careful with links or attachments in emails from unknown senders, as well as in messages or posts on social media. Avoid allowing suspicious websites to send you notifications, and do not interact with ads or pop-ups found on untrustworthy sites.

Also, make sure to regularly update your operating system and applications and use a reputable security program. 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 "$CATS Airdrop Live" scam (GIF):

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ 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 $CATS Airdrop Live fake 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 typically involves a fraudulent platform designed to trick people into performing actions that ultimately benefit the fraudsters.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

Scammers running these schemes have various objectives, but their primary intentions are often to steal personal information, gain access to victims' cryptocurrency wallets, and (or) steal their money.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scams can be promoted via fake social media accounts and compromised WordPress sites, notifications from dubious pages, misleading ads, pop-ups, or links on untrustworthy websites. They can also accessed via links in deceptive email and pages (e.g., torrent, illegal streaming, and adult sites) that use rogue advertising networks.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me scams?

Combo Cleaner checks websites to identify those that may pose risks. It detects scam sites, provides alerts, and blocks access to unreliable websites (including those running scams).

▼ Show Discussion