Avoid losing digital assets to fake "Mantra ($OM) Airdrop" sites

What is the fake "Mantra ($OM) Airdrop"?

While browsing suspect sites, our research team found this fake "Mantra ($OM) Airdrop" promoted on om-unlock.pages[.]dev (note that it could be hosted elsewhere). It imitates the MANTRA platform (mantrachain.io) and uses an OM token airdrop to lure users into exposing their digital wallets 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 "Mantra ($OM) Airdrop" overview

This scam imitates MANTRA (mantrachain.io) – a blockchain platform for real-world assets. We discovered this scheme promoted on om-unlock.pages[.]dev, but it could be hosted on other domains as well. This imitator webpage entices users with a bogus airdrop of OM – MANTRA's native token.

It must be stressed that this airdrop is fake and in no way associated with the real MANTRA platform or any other existing projects and entities.

When a digital wallet is connected to this scheme, the crypto drainer is activated. Essentially, a malicious contract is signed that facilitates automated transactions that transfer funds from victims' wallets to those in the scammers' possession. These transactions may appear vague – thereby remaining unnoticed for a long time.

Drainers may also be capable of roughly estimating the value of digital assets and prioritizing their theft. 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 "Mantra ($OM) Airdrop" cannot recover their funds.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Mantra ($OM) Airdrop" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	Airdrop on MANTRA
Related Domains	om-unlock.pages[.]dev
Detection Names (om-unlock.pages[.]dev)	Trustwave (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (om-unlock.pages[.]dev)	172.66.47.13
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

"PepeCoin Original Edition", "Coinbase Enhanced Security Measures", "$STAKE Token Airdrop", and "$PAW Token Exchange" are just some of our newest articles on drainers.

Cryptocurrency-specific scams primarily operate by utilizing draining mechanisms, targeting wallet log-in credentials, and tricking victims into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets.

Various lures are used to entice users, such as claims concerning airdrops/giveaways, blockchain platforms, new coin/token promotions, account/wallet issues, security updates, etc. Due to how widespread online scams are and how well-disguised they can be – we highly recommend exercising caution when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

Online scams are primarily promoted through websites using rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, browser notifications, social media/ forum posts, etc.), intrusive advertisements (malvertising), misspelled URLs (mistyped URLs), and adware.

It is pertinent to mention that drainers are often endorsed via intrusive pop-up ads. Some are even capable of executing draining mechanisms themselves; the pop-ups entice users into "linking" their digital wallets by promising various rewards. These ads have been encountered on genuine sites that had been hacked.

Additionally, crypto-specific schemes are promoted through social media spam. Posts and private/direct messages (PMs/DMs) endorsing these scams can be made using accounts stolen from real projects, organizations, companies, celebrities, influencers, and so on.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

It is important to be vigilant when browsing since the Internet is full of deceptive and dangerous content. Therefore, be wary of advertisements/sites making promises that sound too good to be true. Pay attention to URLs and enter them carefully.

Do not use websites offering pirated programs/media or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages are usually monetized via rogue advertising networks.

Do not enable suspect pages to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny such requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). Treat incoming emails and other messages with vigilance; do not open attachments or links found in suspicious mail.

Download from official/trustworthy sources and approach installations with caution (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software (like adware) 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 "Mantra ($OM) Airdrop" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official MANTRA website (mantrachain.io):

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 "Mantra ($OM) 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?

An online scam is a type of content promoted on the Web; it aims to deceive users into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be lured into connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, making monetary transactions, disclosing vulnerable information, purchasing products, subscribing to services, downloading/installing software, and so on.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue for scammers. Cyber criminals primarily profit by obtaining funds through deception, promoting content (e.g., websites, programs, products, services, etc.), abusing/selling private data, and spreading malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "Mantra ($OM) Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?

No, cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed due to their nearly untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "Mantra ($OM) Airdrop" cannot recover their funds.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are most commonly endorsed through spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, browser notifications, social media/ forum posts, etc.), websites that use rogue advertising networks, intrusive adverts (malvertising), mistyped URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites and detect rogue, scam, and malicious pages. Furthermore, it can block any further access to such sites.

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