How to recognize scams like "$SHIRO Rewards" fake website

What kind of scam is "$SHIRO Rewards"?

During our investigation of the page (enter-shirocoin[.]com), we determined that it is a fraudulent site designed to imitate shirocoin.io. Created by scammers, its purpose is to steal cryptocurrency from unsuspecting users. Individuals should avoid interacting with the site to protect their assets and avoid financial loss.

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.

"$SHIRO Rewards" scam overview

The original website (shirocoin.io) promotes Shiro Coin, a cryptocurrency that positions itself as an alternative to dog-themed coins like Dogecoin. The fake site (enter-shirocoin[.]com) offers users a limited-time offer. It claims that only those who register within the next 24 hours will be eligible for $SHIRO rewards.

This fraudulent web page aims to trick users into "registering" by connecting their wallets. However, connecting a wallet on the fake platform activates a cryptocurrency drainer. A drainer is a malicious tool that steals cryptocurrency from a victim’s wallet and sends it to the scammer’s wallet.

Since cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible, once the funds are transferred, they are permanently gone unless the scammer chooses to return them. Users should exercise caution when connecting wallets, sharing personal information, or making transactions.

Threat Summary:

Name	$SHIRO Rewards fake platform
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can earn $SHIRO rewards
Disguise	Legitimate shirocoin.com website
Related Domain	enter-shirocoin[.]com, registration-shiro[.]com
Detection Names	Fortinet (Spam), 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. ▼ 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.

Similar scams in general

Deceptive websites using crypto drainers often mimic other platforms to trick users into connecting their wallets by offering free tokens or other rewards. Their primary objective is to steal crypto assets from the wallets. Recognizing these fake sites and taking proper precautions is crucial to avoid becoming a victim of these scams.

Some examples of fake platforms utilizing cryptocurrency drainers are "SyncAI Wallet Connection", "Astherus Airdrop" and "NodePay Claims".

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers use various tactics to trick users. They often spread crypto drainer scams through hacked WordPress sites, fake or stolen social media accounts on platforms like X/Twitter and Facebook, and shady ad networks (often used by torrent sites, illegal movie streaming pages, adult sites, and similar platforms).

They may also lure users to scam sites with misleading advertisements, pop-ups, suspicious links, deceptive emails containing links or attachments, or ads from adware.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Regularly scan your computer for malicious software and other threats. Keep all software and the operating system up to date. Use a reputable security tool. Do not agree to receive notifications from suspicious websites. Do not trust (open) links in irrelevant or suspicious emails from unknown addresses.

Always use reputable search engines and download apps or files from official websites or trusted app stores. 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 "$SHIRO Rewards" scam website (GIF):

The original website (shirocoin.io):

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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 $SHIRO Rewards fake platform?
• 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 web page?

A scam website is a fraudulent site designed to deceive users, often through fake offers (like cryptocurrency rewards).

What is the purpose of a scam site?

The purpose of a scam website is to deceive users into providing sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card details, or to steal money through fraudulent offers.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers use tactics like hacked of deceptive sites, fake social media accounts, and shady ad networks to spread scams. They also lure users with misleading ads, pop-ups, suspicious links, deceptive emails, or adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner scans every website you visit and can detect malicious ones, including sites that host scams. You will be immediately warned, and access will be blocked.

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