Avoid losing digital assets to fake "Join Injective Airdrop" websites

What is the fake "Join Injective Airdrop"?

After inspecting the "Join Injective Airdrop", we determined that it is fake. We found this scam endorsed on injective.claim-foundation[.]site, but it could be hosted on other domains. This webpage imitates the Injective platform (injective.com) and lures users with a promise of an INJ token airdrop.

This scheme functions as a cryptocurrency drainer. It must be emphasized that this bogus airdrop is not associated with the actual Injective platform or any others.

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 "Join Injective Airdrop" overview

We found this fake airdrop was promoted on injective.claim-foundation[.]site, yet it could be hosted elsewhere. The scam closely copies the design of Injective (injective.com) – a blockchain platform that incorporates many projects and allows users to build DeFi (Decentralized Finance) applications.

It must be stressed that this hoax INJ token giveaway is in no way associated with the real Injective or other platforms and entities.

Clicking the "Claim Airdrop" button on the scam page prompts users to connect their digital wallets. This enables the site to execute cryptocurrency-draining scripts. Essentially, funds are transferred from victims' cryptowallets to those in the cyber criminals' possession.

Some drainers can approximate the value of digital assets and prioritize their theft. This activity may look innocuous, thus remaining unnoticed for a long time.

Due to their practically untraceable nature – cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed. Hence, victims of scams like this fake "Join Injective Airdrop" cannot recover the stolen assets.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Join Injective Airdrop" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	INJ token airdrop on Injective
Related Domains	injective.claim-foundation[.]site
Detection Names	Fortinet (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	172.67.137.171
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

"Aave check eligibility", "$BabyElon Allocation", and "SONIC Airdrop" are just a couple examples of drainers.

Typically, cryptocurrency-specific scams operate in one of three ways – by using draining mechanisms to siphon funds from exposed wallets, phishing for wallet log-in credentials, and deceiving visitors into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets.

Various lures are used by such schemes, e.g., false claims concerning airdrops/giveaways, new coin/token promotions, presale events, security upgrades, account/wallet issues, and so on.

While online schemes are often poorly put together and riddled with mistakes, they can be competently made and even perfectly copy the design of genuine websites. Therefore, we strongly advise vigilance when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

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

Cryptocurrency drainers have been observed being promoted through intrusive pop-up adverts. Some of these pop-ups can execute draining scripts themselves; they entice users into "connecting" digital wallets by promising various boons. It is noteworthy that these advertisements have been encountered on legitimate websites that had been hacked.

Additionally, crypto-centered schemes are prevalent on social medial platforms; we found many instances of their promotion on X (formerly – Twitter). These spam posts and private/direct messages can be made using accounts stolen from real celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, projects, companies, organizations, and so on.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

The key to online safety is caution. Therefore, always be wary of ads/sites making promises that sound too good to be true. Take note of URLs and type them attentively. Do not use websites that offer pirated programs/media or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages usually employ rogue advertising networks.

Do not enable suspicious pages to deliver browser notifications; ignore or deny these requests from them (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). Approach incoming emails and other messages with vigilance; do not open attachments or links found in suspect/irrelevant mail.

Download only from official/verified channels and treat installations with care (e.g., read terms, explore options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software (like adware) from infiltrating the device.

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 "Join Injective Airdrop" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official Injective website (injective.com):

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 "Join Injective Airdrop" 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?

Basically, online scams are a type of deceptive content hosted on the Web. It aims to trick users into performing specific actions, e.g., connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, making monetary transactions, disclosing vulnerable information, buying products, subscribing to services, downloading/installing software, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals predominantly profit by obtaining funds through deception, promoting content (e.g., websites, programs, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing private data, and proliferating malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "Join Injective Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?

No, cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed due to their practically untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "Join Injective Airdrop" cannot recover their funds.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are most commonly endorsed via spam (e.g., DMs/PMs, social media posts, emails, browser notifications, etc.), webpages that use rogue advertising networks, intrusive advertisements (malvertising), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites for deceptive/malicious content. Hence, should you happen upon such a webpage – you will be immediately warned, and further access to it will be denied.

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