How to recognize fake pages promoting scams like "MoonBag Presale"

What is the fake "MoonBag Presale"?

During our inspection of claim-moonbag-org.pages[.]dev, we found that it is a web page promoting a MoonBag coin ($MBAG) presale. However, further analysis has shown that this website is fraudulent. It is owned by scammers who seek to steal cryptocurrency from victims. Therefore, claim-moonbag-org.pages[.]dev should be 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 "MoonBag Presale" overview

This deceptive website essentially promotes the $MBAG coin. It includes various offers, one of which is to earn $MBAG coin through referrals. It says that when users use a referral code to purchase $25 or more, they receive an additional 50% in coins. The total purchases made with the referral code accumulate, contributing to the user's position on the leaderboard.

At the end of the month, the top 20 referrers will earn 10% of the total amount purchased using their code in $MBAG coins, based on the launch price of $0.003. The ultimate goal of claim-moonbag-org.pages[.]dev is to lure individuals into connecting their wallets. Once they do so, they sign a malicious contract.

Upon signing this contract, a cryptocurrency drainer is executed. The drainer exploits access to the victim's wallet to siphon off funds, moving them from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. Unfortunately, these transactions are irreversible unless the recipients willingly return the stolen funds.

As a result, falling for scams like the one hosted on claim-moonbag-org.pages[.]dev often leads to permanent financial losses. Users should carefully evaluate cryptocurrency platforms before connecting their wallets, transferring funds, or engaging in any related activities.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake MoonBag Presale
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can receive $MBAG coin
Disguise	Legitimate MoonBag presale
Related Domain	claim-moonbag-org.pages[.]dev
Detection Names	Combo Cleaner (Phishing), Emsisoft (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), G-Data (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.
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.

Similar scams in general

Usually, scams involving cryptocurrency drainers encourage individuals to connect their wallets to receive cryptocurrency or other rewards. However, victims never receive anything in return and risk losing their cryptocurrency holdings. To safeguard against these risks, users should be vigilant and conduct thorough research before connecting wallets or taking other steps on crypto platforms.

Other scams involving crypto drainers are "Claim $ORDI", "$BIFI Token Airdrop", and "Cybercab ($CYBERCAB)".

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers often create misleading ads and various pop-ups or notifications from untrustworthy sites to lure users into visiting scam websites. These fraudulent pages can also be opened via deceptive emails or messages from hacked or fake social media accounts, especially on platforms like X (formerly Twitter).

Furthermore, sites that rely on rogue advertising networks, such as torrent or illegal streaming services, can also direct users to these deceptive websites. Sometimes, fraudsters utilize adware to promote their scam websites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be cautious with pop-ups, ads, buttons, and links on suspicious websites. Avoid clicking on links or opening files in unexpected emails, particularly if they appear irrelevant or are from unknown senders. Do not allow questionable sites to send notifications. Always download software and files from official websites or reputable app stores.

It is also important to regularly update your operating system and installed programs. Additionally, make use of a reliable security tool and conduct system scans on a routine basis. 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 "MoonBag Presale" scam 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 Fake MoonBag Presale?
• 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?

These scams can appear in different forms, such as fake investment schemes or deceptive giveaways, frequently offering high returns or free tokens to lure victims.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

Typically, scammers target victims' funds or personal information, ultimately causing financial harm (or other issues) to those they deceive.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers use misleading ads, pop-ups, and notifications from untrustworthy sites to drive users to scam websites. These fraudulent pages can also be accessed through deceptive emails, messages sent from fake social media accounts, or rogue advertising networks (often used by torrent or illegal streaming sites). Adware can also be used to promote scam sites.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me scams?

Combo Cleaner scans websites for potential risks, detects scam sites, and alerts users. It also blocks access to dangerous or deceptive sites, offering added protection against online threats.

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