How to avoid scams like "CLAIM YOUR $PENGU ALLOCATION"

What is "CLAIM YOUR $PENGU ALLOCATION"?

Upon examining the website (pudgypengiun[.]xyz), we discovered it to be a fraudulent platform designed to closely resemble pudgypenguins.com. This fake site is created by scammers with the intent to steal cryptocurrency from unsuspecting users. Users should always examine crypto platforms before taking action to avoid monetary loss or other issues.

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.

"CLAIM YOUR $PENGU ALLOCATION" in detail

Pudgy Penguins (pudgypenguins.com) is a digital art collection made up of 8,888 unique pieces, each represented as a non-fungible token (NFT). These NFTs were launched on the Ethereum blockchain in August 2021. Essentially, each Pudgy Penguin is a one-of-a-kind digital item that can be bought, sold, or traded, with ownership secured on the blockchain.

The fake website (pudgypengiun[.]xyz) offers users to "claim $PENGU allocation". It promises users the opportunity to receive a certain amount of $PENGU tokens. However, following the instructions (connecting a wallet) on this site activates a cryptocurrency drainer, a malicious tool designed to steal victims' digital assets.

Once activated, the drainer automatically transfers cryptocurrency from the victims' wallet to the scammer's. Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible. Once the funds are transferred, they are permanently lost unless the scammer decides to return them, which is highly unlikely.

This makes it especially crucial for users to be careful and always exercise caution when connecting wallets, sharing personal information, or making transactions. It is important to verify the legitimacy of platforms and offers before taking any action, as once the transaction is made, there is little chance of recovery.

Threat Summary:

Name	CLAIM YOUR $PENGU ALLOCATION fake platform
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can receive $PENGU tokens
Disguise	Legitimate Pudgy Penguins website
Related Domain	pudgypengiun[.]xyz
Detection Names (pudgypengiun[.]xyz)	Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), 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 that use crypto drainers often impersonate legitimate platforms to lure users into connecting their wallets or taking other actions by promising free tokens or rewards. The main goal of these fraudulent sites is to steal cryptocurrency from victims.

It is important to identify these fake sites and take the necessary precautions to protect yourself from falling victim to these scams. Some examples of similar scams are the fake "SyncAI Wallet Connection", "Astherus Airdrop" and "NodePay Claims" platforms.

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers employ a range of tactics to deceive users. Usually, they spread crypto drainer scams via compromised WordPress sites and fake or hacked social media accounts on platforms like X/Twitter and Facebook. They also use dubious ad networks, often associated with torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, adult sites, and similar websites.

Moreover, scammers use misleading ads, pop-ups, suspicious links, deceptive emails with attachments or links, or intrusive ads from adware to lure users into opening scam pages. Simply put, users do not visit scam pages on purpose; they get tricked into opening them.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Avoid interacting with pop-ups, ads, links, buttons, or any other elements on suspicious websites, and do not allow these sites to send you notifications. Always use reputable search engines and only download apps or files from official websites or trusted app stores. Exercise caution with emails that contain links or attachments.

Regularly scan your computer for malware and other threats, keep your software and operating system up to date, and rely on trusted security tools to protect your system. 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 "CLAIM YOUR $PENGU ALLOCATION" scam website (GIF):

Screenshot of the original page (pudgypenguins.com):

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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 CLAIM YOUR $PENGU ALLOCATION 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 fake cryptocurrency giveaway?

A fake cryptocurrency giveaway is a type of scam where fraudsters promise users free cryptocurrency in exchange for specific actions.

What is the purpose of a fake crypto giveaway?

Typically, these scams are utilized to steal cryptocurrency from users or extract personal information.

Why do I encounter fake crypto platforms?

Scammers promote their scams through hacked social media accounts, compromised sites, and shady ad networks (often used by torrent, streaming, and adult sites). They also use misleading ads, pop-ups, suspicious links, and deceptive emails to trick users into visiting scam pages.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scam websites?

Combo Cleaner scans every website you visit, detecting malicious sites, including those running scams. If a threat is found, you will receive an immediate warning, and access to the site will be blocked to ensure your safety.

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