Avoid getting scammed by fake "SyncAI Wallet Connection" websites

What is the fake "SyncAI Wallet Connection" website?

While browsing suspicious websites, our research discovered this "SyncAI Wallet Connection" scam on blockchainmiddleware.pages[.]dev (note that it could be hosted elsewhere).

It imitates the SyncAI platform (syncai.network), yet the scheme bears no association with it or any other existing projects and entities. "SyncAI Wallet Connection" is a phishing scam that targets cryptocurrency wallet log-in credentials.

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 "SyncAI Wallet Connection" website overview

We discovered this scam hosted on blockchainmiddleware.pages[.]dev, but it could be promoted on other domains as well. The scheme masquerades as SyncAI (syncai.network) – a framework providing a decentralized infrastructure network for connecting various blockchains, users, and dApps.

It must be emphasized that this scam is not associated with the actual SyncAI or any other existing projects, platforms, and entities.

When users attempt to connect their wallet to the fake site, they are requested to provide their wallet passphrases. The entered log-in credentials are recorded and sent to scammers. Therefore, victims lured into disclosing their passphrases have their digital wallets and the funds stored therein stolen.

It must be mentioned that due to the nearly untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions – they cannot be reversed; thus, victims of scams like this fake "SyncAI Wallet Connection" website cannot recover their assets.

Threat Summary:

Name	"SyncAI Wallet Connection" scam website
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	SyncAI
Related Domains	blockchainmiddleware.pages[.]dev
Detection Names	Combo Cleaner (Phishing), Criminal IP (Phishing), ESET (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), Kaspersky (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	172.66.44.161
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 inspected numerous online scams; "Astherus Airdrop", "Blockchain.com Money Transfer", "NodePay Claims", "Claim Strategic Bitcoin Reserve", "Claim 3D NFT", and "Uniswap ($UNI) Airdrop" are just some of our latest articles on crypto-targeting schemes.

Aside from targeting wallet log-in credentials, these schemes commonly use draining mechanisms to siphon funds from exposed wallets or trick users into manually transferring to scammer-owned wallets.

While online scams are often poorly put together and riddled with errors, they can be competently made, and some even perfectly copy the design of legitimate sites. Therefore, we strongly recommend exercising caution when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

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

Cryptocurrency drainers are commonly promoted via intrusive pop-up ads. Some of these advertisements are fully functional drainers themselves; they lure users into "connecting" their digital wallets by promising various benefits. these pop-ups may be hosted on legitimate webpages that have been compromised.

Additionally, crypto-specific schemes are endorsed through social media spam. We have discovered many instances of their promotion on X (more often referred to by its former name – Twitter). These posts and private/direct messages can be made using accounts stolen from real projects, companies, organizations, celebrities, influencers, and so on.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is paramount to online safety. Therefore, be wary of ads 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 programs/media or other questionable services (e.g., illegal streaming or downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these webpages are typically monetized via rogue advertising networks.

Do not permit suspicious pages to deliver browser notifications; ignore or deny requests from such sites (i.e., click "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). Approach incoming emails and other messages; do not open attachments or links present in dubious/irrelevant mail.

Download from official/trustworthy sources and treat installations with care (e.g., read terms, explore 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 "SyncAI Wallet Connection" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official SyncAI website (syncai.network):

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 "SyncAI Wallet Connection" scam 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 an online scam?

An online scam is a type of deceptive content hosted on the Web that aims to trick users into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be enticed into linking digital wallets to crypto drainers, sending money to scammers, disclosing vulnerable information, downloading/installing software, buying products, 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, programs, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing sensitive data, and distributing malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "SyncAI Wallet Connection" scam, can I get my money back?

Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible because of their practically untraceable nature. Hence, victims of scams like this fake "SyncAI Wallet Connection" website cannot recover the stolen assets.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Widespread promotional methods include: spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, DMs/PMs, social media/ forum posts, browser notifications, etc.), websites using rogue advertising networks, intrusive advertisements (malvertising), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to eliminate all kinds of threats. It is capable of detecting deceptive/malicious websites visited and restricting all further access to them.

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