Avoid getting scammed by fake "OPTIMISM Airdrop" websites

What is the fake "OPTIMISM Airdrop"?

Our researchers discovered this fake "OPTIMISM Airdrop" promoted on optimismclaim.pages[.]dev (could be hosted elsewhere). The scam imitates the Optimism network (optimism.io) running an airdrop. Instead of distributing tokens, this scheme functions as a cryptocurrency drainer. Victims of this hoax airdrop have their digital assets stolen.

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 "OPTIMISM Airdrop" overview

We found this scam on optimismclaim.pages[.]dev, but it could also be hosted on other domains. The bogus website masquerades as the Optimism network (optimism.io). It must be emphasized that this scheme in no way associated with Optimism or any other existing networks, projects, or entities.

Users are lured into exposing their digital wallets by a supposed airdrop distributing Optimism (OP) tokens. "Connecting" a wallet signs a malicious contract that facilitates the crypto drainer. Thus, funds are transferred to scammer-owned wallets.

These automated transactions may appear vague and remain unnoticed for a significant amount of time. Drainers may be able to approximate the value of digital assets and target them first.

It must be mentioned that due to the practically untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions – they cannot be reversed. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "OPTIMISM Airdrop" cannot retrieve the stolen assets.

Threat Summary:

Name	"OPTIMISM Airdrop" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	Airdrop on the Optimism network
Related Domains	optimismclaim.pages[.]dev
Detection Names	Combo Cleaner (Phishing), CyRadar (Phishing), ESET (Phishing), G-Data (Phishing), Google Safebrowsing (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	172.66.47.127
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

"$doginme Airdrop", "Claim $APED", "OpenSea NFT Offer", "Veda Points Multiplier", and "The Sandbox Game" are merely some examples of crypto drainers.

Scams targeting digital currencies tend to do so in one of three ways – using draining mechanisms to siphon funds from exposed wallets, phishing for wallet log-in credentials, and deceiving victims into transferring assets to scammer-owned wallets.

While online scams are often poorly put together, they can be competently made and even perfectly copy the design of legitimate sites. Due to how widespread scams are and how well-crafted they can be – we highly recommend being vigilant when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

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

Cryptocurrency drainers are often endorsed via intrusive pop-up adverts. Some are fully functional drainers themselves; they entice users into linking cryptowallets by promising various boons. It is worth mentioning that these advertisements have been encountered on legitimate sites that had been compromised.

Additionally, cryptocurrency-centered schemes are promoted through social media spam. Promotional posts and direct/private messages can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., ones originally belonging to real celebrities, influencers, projects, companies, organizations, etc.). If the scam aligns with the content ordinarily posted by the accounts – this creates an incredible impression of legitimacy.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is paramount to online safety. Therefore, be mindful of adverts and sites making promises that sound too good to be true. Pay attention to URLs and type them carefully. Do not permit dubious sites to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny these requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Do use pirated content or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages are usually monetized via rogue advertising networks. Be vigilant with incoming emails and other messages; do not open attachments or links present in suspect mail.

Download from official/verified sources and treat installations with care (e.g., read terms, study options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/dangerous software from infiltrating systems.

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 "OPTIMISM Airdrop" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official Optimism website (optimism.io):

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 "OPTIMISM 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?

An online scam is a type of deceptive content hosted on the Web; its purpose is to lure users into performing certain actions. For example, victims can be deceived into connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, making monetary transactions, providing vulnerable data, purchasing products, downloading/installing programs, subscribing to services, and so on.

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, endorsing websites/software, selling/abusing private information, and spreading malware.

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

Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible because of their nearly untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "OPTIMISM Airdrop" cannot retrieve their funds.

Why do I encounter online scams?

The most widespread promotional methods include: spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, social media posts, browser notifications, etc.), websites that utilize rogue advertising networks, intrusive advertisements, mistyped URLs, and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan all websites that you visit and detect rogue, scam, and malicious pages. Hence, should you happen upon such a webpage – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be restricted.

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