How to avoid scams like the fake "Usual Airdrop"

What is a fake "Usual Airdrop"?

Our team has discovered a fake website (usual-apps-money[.]lol) imitating the USUAL platform (usual.money). The purpose of this deceptive web page is to steal cryptocurrency from individuals. Users should be careful with crypto-related platforms and always check their legitimacy to avoid financial loss and 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.

Fake "Usual Airdrop" overview

USUAL is a decentralized fiat stablecoin issuer that uses the $USUAL token for ownership and governance. It combines tokenized assets from companies like BlackRock to create a stablecoin (USD0) that is secure and on-chain. The official USUAL page is usual.money. The usual-apps-money[.]lol is a fake site mimicking the real one to deceive users.

The fake page claims to be an "Airdrop Checker" for the Usual Airdrop. It prompts users to connect their wallet in order to check if they are eligible for the airdrop (a cryptocurrency giveaway). However, engaging with this scam website (connecting a wallet on it) leads to the activation of a cryptocurrency drainer.

This drainer transfers cryptocurrency from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. In simple terms, it drains the victim's wallet. Unfortunately, fraudulent cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible. Once the funds are transferred, they are lost for good unless the scammer returns them.

For this reason, it is important to be cautious when connecting wallets, sharing personal information, or making transactions on crypto-related platforms. Users must always confirm the legitimacy of platforms and offers before taking any action.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake Usual Airdrop
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Users can check if they are eligible for the Usual Airdrop
Disguise	Legitimate USUAL platform
Related Domain	usual-apps-money[.]lol
Detection Names	N/A (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

Scams like these involve fake websites impersonating legitimate platforms to trick users into connecting their wallets. Once connected, a cryptocurrency drainer is activated, transferring funds from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. To avoid such scams, users should always verify the authenticity of platforms and offers before engaging.

Examples of other fake platforms designed to trick users into executing a crypto drainer are "Coinbase Wallet X-Mas Registration", "CLAIM YOUR $PENGU ALLOCATION", and "SyncAI Wallet Connection".

How did I open a scam website?

Fake platforms that use cryptocurrency drainers are often promoted through fake or hijacked social media profiles (such as fake Facebook or Twitter/X accounts) or compromised WordPress websites. Users open these scam pages by clicking misleading links or deceptive advertisements.

Also, these sites can be opened through websites that use rogue advertising networks (e.g., torrent sites or illegal movie streaming platforms). In other cases, users may be tricked into visiting scam websites via notifications from unreliable pages, links or files in fraudulent emails, ads from adware-type apps, and similar channels.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be cautious with links and attachments in unexpected emails from unknown senders, especially if they seem suspicious. Avoid engaging with pop-ups, ads, or buttons on dubious websites. Download apps and files only from official app stores or trusted websites, and avoid less reliable sources.

Never allow questionable websites to send notifications. Update your operating system and software and regularly and use reputable security software. Additionally, stick to trusted search engines to reduce the risk of encountering unsafe content. 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 "Usual Airdrop" pop-up scam (GIF):

The official USUAL website (usual.money):

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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 Fake Usual Airdrop?
• 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 airdrop (giveaway)?

A fake airdrop (or giveaway) is a scam where fraudsters offer free cryptocurrency or tokens to lure users into taking certain actions.

What is the purpose of a fake crypto giveaway?

Typically, users are asked to make fraudulent transactions, share sensitive details, or connect their wallets to claim the supposed free tokens or other "rewards", but the real goal is to exploit them for financial gain (e.g., steal their cryptocurrency).

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Users often access scam pages by clicking on misleading links or deceptive ads, shady advertising networks (often used by torrent sites, illegal streaming, and similar platforms). Additionally, users may be lured to scam websites through notifications from unreliable sites, links or attachments in fraudulent emails, ads from adware, and similar sources.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scam web pages?

Combo Cleaner can scan every website you visit and detect and alert you about malicious sites. This includes websites designed to deliver scams. If such a site is detected, you will be immediately warned, and access will be blocked to protect you.

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