Avoid getting scammed by fake "$DOGE Airdrop" websites

What is the fake "$DOGE Airdrop"?

After examining this "$DOGE Airdrop", we determined that it is fake. Supposedly, eligible users can receive up to 25,000 Dogecoins (DOGE) from this airdrop. However, not only will victims of this scam not receive any cryptocurrency, but they will also expose their cryptowallets to a drainer designed to siphon digital assets.

It must be stressed that this bogus giveaway is not associated with the actual Dogecoin website or any other genuine platforms and entities.

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 "$DOGE Airdrop" overview

We discovered this scam promoted on claim-dogegov[.]net, yet it could be hosted on other domains. While it is not an identical visual copy of the official Dogecoin website (dogecoin.com), a connection is implied. This fraudulent page claims to be running an airdrop wherein participants can receive up to 25,000 Dogecoin (DOGE). At the time of writing, this top sum is worth close to 9,000 USD.

It must be reiterated that this airdrop is fake, and it is not associated with the real Dogecoin cryptocurrency or any other digital currencies, platforms, entities, or public figures.

Once a digital wallet is connected to the scam page, a malicious contract is signed that facilitates the cryptocurrency drainer. It functions by making automated outgoing transactions, which may appear vague – thus, they can remain unnoticed for a long time. Some drainers can approximate the value of digital assets and target them first.

It has to be mentioned that this financial loss is irreparable, as cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible because of their practically untraceable nature.

Threat Summary:

Name	"$DOGE Airdrop" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Fake Claim	Participants of the airdrop can receive up to 25,000 DOGE (Dogecoin cryptocurrency).
Disguise	Dogecoin
Related Domains	claim-dogegov[.]net
Detection Names (claim-dogegov[.]net)	G-Data (Phishing), alphaMountain.ai (Suspicious), Ermes (Not Recommended), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (claim-dogegov[.]net)	172.67.174.79
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 written about countless crypto-centered schemes; "Usual Airdrop", "Coinbase Wallet X-Mas Registration", and "CLAIM YOUR $PENGU ALLOCATION" are just a couple examples of drainers.

There are three primary ways that cryptocurrency-targeting scams operate in: using draining mechanisms to steal assets from wallets, seeking wallet log-in credentials (phishing), and tricking users into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets.

It must be emphasized that the Internet is rife with deceptive and malicious content. Online scams can be poorly put together or be crafted in a way that makes them incredibly convincing. Therefore, we strongly advise vigilance when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

Crypto drainers are often endorsed via social media spam; we have found many instances of their promotion on X (more commonly known by its former name – Twitter). These posts and direct/private messages (DMs/PMs) can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., ones originally belonging to real entrepreneurs, celebrities, influencers, projects, companies, organizations, etc.).

Malvertising is also prevalent in drainer promotion. Some of the intrusive pop-up ads used to promote these schemes are fully functional drainers themselves; they entice users into "connecting" digital wallets by promising unbelievable benefits. It is noteworthy that these advertisements have been encountered on legitimate sites that had been compromised.

In general, online scams are widely endorsed through websites that employ rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., social media posts, DMs/PMs, SMSes, browser notifications, emails, etc.), malvertising, typosquatting (mistyped URLs), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

The crucial element of online safety is caution. Therefore, be wary of sites, ads, and messages making promises that sound too good to be true. Approach incoming mail with vigilance; do not open attachments or links found in suspicious emails/messages. Take note of URLs and type them attentively.

Do not visit websites offering pirated content or other questionable services (e.g., illegal streaming/downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these webpages usually employ rogue advertising networks. Do not permit dubious sites to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny such requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Download only from official/verified sources and treat installations with care (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of supplementary apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software (like adware) 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 "$DOGE Airdrop" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official Dogecoin website (dogecoin.com):

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 "$DOGE 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 endorsed on the Web that aims to deceive users into performing specific actions. For example, they can be enticed into connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, disclosing sensitive information, making monetary transactions, purchasing products, subscribing to services, downloading/installing software, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

The purpose of online scams is to generate revenue for scammers. Profit can be made by obtaining funds through deception, promoting content (e.g., sites, software, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing private information, and spreading malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "$DOGE Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?

No, cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed because of their nearly untraceable nature. Hence, victims of scams like this fake "$DOGE Airdrop" website cannot recover their funds.

Why do I encounter online scams?

The most prevalent promotional techniques include: webpages that use rogue advertising networks, intrusive advertisements (malvertising), spam (e.g., emails, social media posts, DMs/PMs, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan every website that you visit for deceptive/malicious content. Hence, should you happen upon such a site – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be denied.

▼ Show Discussion