Avoid losing digital assets to fake "$AVAIL Airdrop" websites

What is the fake "$AVAIL Airdrop" website?

Our researchers discovered this fake "$AVAIL Airdrop" on sign-in-availproject.pages[.]dev (but it could be hosted elsewhere). This page imitates the Avail platform (availproject.org). It entices users with a promise of an AVAIL token airdrop.

This scam aims to deceive users into exposing their digital wallets to a cryptocurrency drainer. It must be emphasized that this airdrop is fake, and it is not associated with the actual Avail platform.

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 "$AVAIL Airdrop" website overview

We found this scam on sign-in-availproject.pages[.]dev – however, it could be hosted on other domains as well. The scheme masquerades as the Avail project website (availproject.org), which facilitates seamless interaction between different blockchains.

The imitator webpage promotes an airdrop of AVAIL tokens. It must be reiterated that this giveaway is fake, and it is in no way associated with the real Avail or any other existing projects, platforms, or entities.

When a wallet is connected, a malicious contract is signed that enables the crypto drainer. Essentially, funds are transferred from victims' wallets to those in the scammers' possession. These transactions are automated and may appear vague, thus they can remain unnoticed for a significant amount of time.

Some drainers are capable of roughly estimating the value of digital assets and targeting them first. It must be mentioned that due to the nearly untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions – they cannot be reversed. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "$AVAIL Airdrop" website cannot get their money back.

Threat Summary:

Name	"$AVAIL Airdrop" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	Airdrop on Avail platform
Related Domains	sign-in-availproject.pages[.]dev
Detection Names	Combo Cleaner (Phishing), Emsisoft (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), Kaspersky (Phishing), Lionic (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	172.66.47.136
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

"ClaimTokens", "Maestro", and "WOOFi Wallet Connection" are merely a couple of our newest articles on crypto drainers. In addition to those that utilize draining mechanisms, widespread crypto-centered schemes include wallet log-in credentials phishing and ones that trick users into manually transferring assets to scammer-owned wallets.

While the commonly held belief that online scams are poorly constructed and riddled with mistakes is not untrue, it is not always the case. These schemes can be competently made, and some even perfectly copy the design of legitimate sites. Hence, we highly recommend caution when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

Crypto drainers are often endorsed via intrusive pop-up adverts (malvertising). These ads can be fully functional drainers themselves; they lure users into "linking" digital wallets by promising various benefits. Note that these pop-ups have even been encountered on genuine sites that had been compromised.

Additionally, cryptocurrency-specific 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 projects, companies, entrepreneurs, celebrities, influencers, etc.). If the endorsed scam aligns with the content ordinarily posted by the account – this creates an incredible impression of legitimacy.

Other endorsement techniques are not unlikely. In addition to the previously mentioned methods, online scams are promoted via webpages using rogue advertising networks, different types of spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, browser notifications, forum posts, etc.), typosquatting (misspelled URLs), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is essential to online safety. Therefore, always be vigilant when browsing. Pay attention to URLs and enter them carefully. Be wary of ads and websites making promises that sound too good to be true.

Do not use sites offering pirated content or other questionable services (e.g., illegal streaming/downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these webpages are usually monetized through 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 cautiously; do not open attachments or links present in dubious/irrelevant mail.

Download only from official/trustworthy sources and treat installations with care (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of supplementary apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software 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 "$AVAIL Airdrop" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official Avail website (availproject.org):

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 "$AVAIL 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?

Essentially, online scams are deceptive messages promoted on the Internet that aim to trick users into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be enticed into connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, providing sensitive information, making monetary transactions, buying products, downloading/installing programs, subscribing to services, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

The purpose of online scams is to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals primarily profit by obtaining funds through deception, promoting content (e.g., sites, software, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing private data, and proliferating malware.

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

Cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed due to their practically untraceable nature. Hence, victims are scams like this fake "$AVAIL Airdrop" webpage cannot retrieve the stolen assets.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Widespread promotional techniques include: websites that use rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., social media posts, DMs/PMs, emails, browser notifications, etc.), malvertising, typosquatting, and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan visited sites and detect rogue, deceptive, and malicious webpages. Additionally, Combo Cleaner can block all further access to websites hosting said content.

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