How to identify fraudulent platforms like "Stake SUSHI" scam
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is "Stake SUSHI" fake website?
During our inspection of the website (qnt-sushi[.]top), we found that it mimics the official Sushi page (sushi.com). The purpose of the fake site is to steal cryptocurrency holdings from unsuspecting individuals. Scammers behind the fraudulent page offer users rewards as a lure. This page 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.
"Stake SUSHI" fake web page in detail
Sushi (sushi.com) is a community-based platform that aims to solve the "liquidity problem" by connecting decentralized markets. It offers products like a decentralized exchange, yield tools, and cross-chain features, all governed by $SUSHI token holders.
The fake website (qnt-sushi[.]top) claims to offer the opportunity to earn QNT tokens by staking other tokens into a staking pool with large rewards. It promises that when tokens are staked, users will earn corresponding APY income, and upon unstaking, they will receive both their original deposit and additional tokens from fees.
The site also states that the rewards are officially provided by QNT. However, its true purpose is to steal cryptocurrency. The page instructs visitors to connect their wallets. Doing so activates a cryptocurrency drainer, which can automatically transfer cryptocurrency from the victim's wallet to the scammer's.
Victims of cryptocurrency scams often cannot get their money back because transactions are anonymous and permanent. Once the funds are sent, they are usually lost, as there is no way to reverse the transaction without the involvement of the scammer. So, it is important to be cautious with tempting online offers.
Name | Stake SUSHI fake website |
Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
Fake Claim | Participants can claim rewards |
Disguise | Legitimate Sushi platform |
Related Domain | qnt-sushi[.]top |
Detection Names (qnt-sushi[.]top) | Ermes (Not Recommended), Trustwave (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. |
Similar scams in general
The goal of the scammers behind these schemes is always to steal cryptocurrency. Scammers often offer free crypto or other rewards to trick people, and victims can lose their funds by connecting their wallets. Verifying the site’s legitimacy can help individuals to avoid losing money or encountering other issues.
Examples of similar scams are "$SpaceX Coin Airdrop", "Claim BOOE", and "Claim $NEMO".
How did I open a scam website?
Typically, scammers use stolen or fake social media accounts on platforms like X/Twitter, hacked WordPress sites, and misleading ads, pop-ups, and links on untrustworthy pages to trick users into opening scam websites. Additionally, users may come across these scams via torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, or other pages linked to shady advertising networks.
In some cases, scam websites are reached through notifications from suspicious pages, fraudulent email links, or ads shown by adware. Overall, users often land on such sites unintentionally (they get tricked into visiting them).
How to avoid visiting scam pages?
Avoid clicking on links in unexpected emails or social media messages, as well as ads, pop-ups, and links on unreliable websites. Do not allow suspicious sites to send notifications, either. Only download apps and files from official websites or trusted app stores.
Make sure your browser, operating system, and apps are up to date, and stay alert to common scam tactics. 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 "Stake SUSHI" scam website (GIF):
The original website (sushi.com):
Instant automatic malware removal:
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Quick menu:
- What is Stake SUSHI fake website?
- 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 scam website?
It is a deceptive web page that offers visitors free products, rewards, services, etc., claims that a computer is infected, or presents other fraudulent content.
What is the purpose of a scam website?
The goal of such websites is typically to steal personal data, infect devices with malware, or engage in financial scams.
Why do I encounter scam websites?
Scammers often use fake social media accounts, hacked (or fake) websites, and misleading ads to lure users to scam sites. These scams can also be opened via torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms (and other pages that use rogue advertising networks), and through suspicious notifications, email links, or adware. Users typically end up on these sites unintentionally.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scam websites?
Combo Cleaner can scan all the websites you visit and can identify malicious ones. It also detects sites that host scams and immediately warns users, and blocks access to them.
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