How to spot fake offers like the "Worldcoin Invite" scam

What is the fake "Worldcoin Invite"?

Our examination of the page (worldscoins-claims.pages.dev) reveals that it is a scam website aimed at stealing cryptocurrency from unsuspecting users. The site imitates world[.]org (the real website) to mislead visitors. This and similar sites should be recognized as scams and 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.

"Worldcoin Invite" scam in detail

Worldcoin (WLD) is a cryptocurrency and identity project aimed at creating an accessible identity and financial network for everyone. It uses World ID, a privacy-focused system that verifies users' identities online without compromising their privacy.

Verified users can earn WLD tokens as grants, which serve as a digital currency and allow holders to participate in decisions about the project's future. The real website of this project is world[.]org. The fake website (worldscoins-claims.pages[.]dev) is created to deceive visitors into believing that they have received an invite to Worldcoin.

It encourages individuals to verify their account by July 14 (the provided date might vary) to claim at least 66 WLD (currency worth £100.35) over the next 12 months. Clicking the "Apply my Invite" button leads to a prompt to connect a wallet. However, the true intention behind the site is to trick users into signing a malicious contract.

Once this contract is signed, a cryptocurrency drainer is executed. The purpose of this drainer is to pilfer cryptocurrency holdings. It can automatically send cryptocurrency from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. Because these transactions cannot be undone without the involvement of the recipient, victims can experience substantial financial loss.

To protect themselves from such scams, individuals must thoroughly investigate any cryptocurrency platform before proceeding with any transactions or other actions.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake Worldcoin Invite
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants will receive at least 66 WLD within 12 months
Disguise	Legitimate World (world[.]org site
Related Domain	worldscoins-claims.pages[.]dev
Detection Names	CyRadar (Phishing), G-Data (Phishing), Kaspersky (Phishing), Trustwave (Suspicious), 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.
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Similar scams in general

As a rule, fake cryptocurrency platforms mimic legitimate ones to trick users. Scammers often entice individuals with attractive offers, such as free tokens. Their goal is to steal cryptocurrency or personal information. As a precaution, users should thoroughly research any crypto platform before connecting wallets, making transactions, or participating in other activities.

Some examples of scams involving crypto drainers are "OPTIMISM Airdrop", "$doginme Airdrop", and "Claim $APED".

How did I open a scam website?

Scams that utilize crypto drainers are often promoted through fake or compromised accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and other social media platforms, as well as hijacked WordPress sites. Users can also be tricked into opening sites hosting scams through deceptive emails containing links or attachments.

In other cases, users access scam websites via shady pop-ups, ads, and other questionable content on dubious sites, pages that use rogue advertising networks (including torrent sites and illegal streaming pages), notifications from unreliable sources, and ads pushed by adware.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Make sure to download software and files exclusively from trusted app stores or official websites. Be wary of unexpected or irrelevant emails, especially from unfamiliar senders; do not open attachments or click on links in such messages, and disable notifications from suspicious websites.

Do not rely on buttons, pop-ups, ads, or links found on questionable sites. Also, ensure that your operating system and applications are regularly updated, utilize dependable security software, and conduct routine scans on your computer. 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 "Worldcoin Invite" scam website (GIF):

The real website (world[.]org):

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Worldcoin Invite?
• 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.

What is a scam website?

A scam website is a fraudulent online platform that aims to mislead users into performing specific actions. Often, these sites closely resemble legitimate websites to entice unsuspecting individuals into falling for their schemes.

What is the purpose of a scam page?

Scammers often aim to exploit victims by stealing money (including cryptocurrency), obtaining sensitive information, or installing malicious software on their devices.

Why do I encounter scam pages?

Scam websites are frequently advertised through misleading emails, compromised or fake social media accounts, and sites associated with questionable advertising networks, such as torrent or illegal streaming sites. They may also be promoted through deceptive ads (including ads delivered by adware) and notifications from unreliable websites.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner scans all the websites you visit to identify potential threats. It can detect scam sites, warn you about them, and block access to suspicious web pages.

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