Avoid losing digital assets to fake "PepeCoin Original Edition" websites

What are fake "PepeCoin Original Edition" websites?

"PepeCoin Original Edition" scam refers to deceptive pages disguised as the official websites of Pepe Coin. We have discovered two appearance variants of this scheme, yet more are not unlikely. These fake sites function as cryptocurrency drainers – by siphoning digital assets from compromised cryptowallets.

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 "PepeCoin Original Edition" website overview

This scam is presented as the official website of Pepe Coin – a memecoin based on the Pepe the Frog Internet meme. We discovered two appearance versions of this scheme, promoted on pepecoin-m.pages[.]dev and pepecoiin.pages[.]dev. However, keep in mind that the scam could also be hosted on other domains.

It must be emphasized that regardless of possible visual similarities, this scheme is not associated with any existing projects, platforms, or entities.

When a digital wallet is connected to the scam – the action signs a malicious contract that facilitates the cryptocurrency drainer. Basically, victims' funds are transferred to wallets in the scammers' possession through automated transactions. Some drainers can approximate the value of digital assets and prioritize their theft.

These transactions may look vague, so they can remain unnoticed for a long time. The scope of the financial loss depends on the value of the stolen assets.

It must be mentioned that due to the nearly untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions – they cannot be reversed. Therefore, victims of scams like these fake "PepeCoin Original Edition" sites cannot recover their funds.

Threat Summary:

Name	"PepeCoin Original Edition" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	Pepe Coin website
Related Domains	pepecoin-m.pages[.]dev, pepecoiin.pages[.]dev
VirusTotal Detections and Serving IP Addresses	pepecoin-m.pages[.]dev (172.66.44.163), pepecoiin.pages[.]dev (172.66.44.194)
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

We have written about numerous scams; "Coinbase Enhanced Security Measures", "$STAKE Token Airdrop", "$PAW Token Exchange", "LINGO Airdrop", "Trust Wallet Airdrop", and "$AVAIL Airdrop" are just some of our newest articles on drainers.

Crypto-specific schemes typically function in one of three ways – using draining mechanisms to steal funds from wallets, phishing for wallet log-in credentials, and tricking users into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets.

Due to how prevalent scams are on the Web and how well-crafted they can be – we highly recommend exercising caution when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

Drainers are often promoted through intrusive pop-up advertisements (malvertising). These pop-ups may be fully functional drainers themselves; they lure users into "connecting" digital wallets by promising various boons. It is pertinent to mention that such adverts have been encountered on legitimate sites that had been compromised.

Another widespread promotional technique is social media spam. These posts and direct/private messages can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., ones originally belonging to real projects, companies, organizations, celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, etc.).

Other endorsement methods are not unlikely. Aside from the previously mentioned techniques, online scams are promoted via websites that use rogue advertising networks, different types of spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, forum posts, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Vigilance is essential to online safety. Therefore, be wary of advertisements and sites making promises that sound too good to be true. Take note of URLs and enter them carefully. Do not use websites offering pirated content or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages usually utilize rogue advertising networks.

Do not enable dubious webpages to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny their requests (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). Treat incoming emails and other messages with care; do not open attachments or links found in suspicious/irrelevant mail.

Download from officials/verified channels and approach installations with caution (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of all additional apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/hazardous software (like adware) from infiltrating in 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 a fake "PepeCoin Original Edition" website (pepecoin-m.pages[.]dev) GIF:

Screenshot of another fake "PepeCoin Original Edition" website variant (pepecoiin.pages[.]dev):

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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 "PepeCoin Original Edition" 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 content hosted on the Web that aims to deceive users into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be enticed into connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, sending money to scammers, providing valuable information, downloading/installing software, purchasing products, subscribing to services, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals primarily profit by obtaining funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., sites, software, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing private data, and spreading malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "PepeCoin Original Edition" scam, can I get my money back?

No, these transactions cannot be reversed because of their practically untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like these fake "PepeCoin Original Edition" websites cannot recover the stolen assets.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Widespread promotional techniques include: sites employing rogue advertising networks, malvertising (intrusive ads), spam (e.g., social media/ forum posts, DMs/PMs, emails, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), typosquatting (mistyped URLs), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning visited websites for deceptive/malicious content. Should you happen upon such a webpage – Combo Cleaner will immediately warn you and block all further access to the site.

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