Avoid losing digital assets to fake "CARV Airdrop" websites

What is the fake "CARV Airdrop"?

This "CARV Airdrop" is fake. We found this scam on carv-quests.pages[.]dev, but it could be hosted elsewhere. It is disguised as the CARV platform (carv.io) running an airdrop. Users lured into connecting their digital wallets to this scheme expose them to a cryptocurrency drainer.

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 "CARV Airdrop" overview

This hoax airdrop, as promoted on carv-quests.pages[.]dev (note that it could be hosted on other domains), is presented as CARV (carv.io) – a blockchain platform that incorporates gaming and AI (Artificial Intelligence).

It must be emphasized that this fake website is not associated with the actual CARV platform or any other existing projects and entities.

Once a digital wallet is connected to this fraudulent page, a malicious contract is signed that facilitates the crypto drainer. Basically, victims' funds are transferred to wallets in the cyber criminals' possession. This activity is automated and may appear vague – thus, it can remain unnoticed for a long time.

Drainers may be capable of approximating the value of digital assets and prioritizing their theft. These transactions cannot be reversed because of their nearly untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "CARV Airdrop" cannot retrieve their funds.

Threat Summary:

Name	"CARV Airdrop" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	Airdrop on the CARV platform
Related Domains	carv-quests.pages[.]dev
Detection Names	Combo Cleaner (Phishing), ESET (Phishing), G-Data (Phishing), Google Safebrowsing (Phishing), Lionic (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	172.66.45.8
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

"Worldcoin Invite", "MAVIA Registration", and "OPTIMISM Airdrop" are merely a few of our latest articles on crypto drainers.

Typically, schemes targeting cryptocurrencies do so in one of three ways – by using draining mechanisms to siphon funds from compromised wallets, phishing for wallet log-in credentials, and tricking users into manually transferring assets to scammer-owned wallets.

Various lures are used to bait victims, such as claims concerning airdrops/giveaways, new coin/token promotions, presale events, rewards programs, account/wallet issues, and so forth.

Due to how widespread scams are on the Internet and how well-made they can be – we strongly advise exercising caution when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

Cryptocurrency drainers are often promoted via malvertising, specifically – intrusive pop-up adverts. Some are fully functional drainers themselves; they entice users into "linking" digital wallets by promising various benefits. It is noteworthy that these ads have been encountered on genuine websites that had been compromised.

Additionally, crypto-specific schemes are endorsed through social media spam. Promotional posts and private/direct messages (PMs/DMs) can be made using accounts stolen from real projects, companies, organizations, entrepreneurs, celebrities, influencers, etc.

Other endorsement methods are possible. Aside from the aforementioned techniques, online scams are commonly promoted via websites using rogue advertising networks, different types of spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, forum posts, browser notifications, etc.), typosquatting (misspelled URLs), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

It is essential to be vigilant when browsing since the Internet is rife with deceptive and malicious content. Therefore, be wary of advertisements and websites making promises that sound too good to be true. Pay attention to URLs and enter them carefully.

Do not use sites offering pirated content or other dubious services (e.g., illegal streaming/downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these webpages usually utilize rogue advertising networks. Do not permit suspect pages to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny these requests (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Approach incoming emails and other messages with caution; do not open attachments or links present in suspicious mail. Download only from official/verified sources and treat installations with care (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/hazardous software from infiltrating the system.

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 "CARV Airdrop" website (GIF):

Another example of CARV airdrop-themed drainer website (events-carv[.]com):

Screenshot of the official CARV website (carv.io):

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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 "CARV 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?

Online scams are a type of content hosted on the Web that aims to deceive victims into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be tricked into connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, sending money to scammers, purchasing products, disclosing sensitive data, subscribing to services, downloading/installing software, and so on.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue at victims' expense. Scammers can profit by acquiring funds through deception, promoting content (e.g., sites, programs, products, services, etc.), abusing/selling private data, and distributing malware.

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

Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible due to their nearly untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "CARV Airdrop" cannot recover their funds.

Why do I encounter online scams?

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

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan visited sites for deceptive/malicious content. Should you happen upon such a webpage – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be blocked.

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