Avoid getting scammed by fake "Arbitrum ($ARB) Rewards Distribution" sites

What is the fake "Arbitrum ($ARB) Rewards Distribution" website?

After inspecting this "Arbitrum ($ARB) Rewards Distribution" site (allocating-arbitrum[.]xyz; potentially, other domains), we determined that it is a scam. It imitates the Arbitrum network (arbitrum.io) and lures users with a bogus poll.

This scheme functions as a cryptocurrency drainer. It must be emphasized that the scam is not associated with the actual Arbitrum or any other existing platforms.

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 "Arbitrum ($ARB) Rewards Distribution" website overview

We discovered this scam on allocating-arbitrum[.]xyz, but it could also be hosted elsewhere. It mimics the Arbitrum (arbitrum.io) – a network that provides a scalability solution for the Ethereum blockchain. The fake page claims to be holding a poll to determine the date for distributing ARB token rewards.

It must be reiterated that this scheme is in no way associated with the real Arbitrum or any other existing platforms or entities.

Once a user attempts to participate in the poll, they are prompted to connect their digital wallets. Doing so signs a malicious contract that facilitates the drainer. Essentially, funds are transferred from victims' wallets to those in the cyber criminals' possession through automated transactions.

This activity may appear vague – thus, it may remain unnoticed for a long time. Some drainers can approximate the value of digital assets and prioritize their theft.

It must be mentioned that due to the nearly untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions – they cannot be reversed. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "Arbitrum ($ARB) Rewards Distribution" page cannot retrieve the stolen assets.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Arbitrum ($ARB) Rewards Distribution" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Fake Claim	Poll for a reward distribution date.
Disguise	Arbitrum
Related Domains	allocating-arbitrum[.]xyz
Detection Names	CyRadar (Malicious), Seclookup (Malicious), SOCRadar (Malicious), Certego (Suspicious), Fortinet (Spam), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	104.21.32.1
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

"Scroll (SCR) Registration", "Ink Airdrop", "Ethereum Events", "$DOGE Airdrop", and "Usual Airdrop" are merely some of our latest articles on crypto drainers.

Scams that target these schemes tend to do so in one of three ways – using draining mechanisms to steal funds from exposed wallets, phishing for wallet log-in credentials, or tricking users into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets.

These schemes use various lures, such as claims concerning new coin/token promotions, giveaways/airdrops, pre-sale events, account/wallet issues, security upgrades, and so on.

Due to how prevalent scams are online and how well-crafted they can be – we highly recommend exercising caution when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

The most widely used promotional techniques include: websites using rogue advertising networks, intrusive ads (malvertising), spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, social media/ forum posts, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

To expand upon the methods widely used to endorse cryptocurrency drainers, they are pushed through intrusive pop-up adverts. These pop-ups can be fully functional drainers themselves. It is pertinent to mention that such advertisements might be encountered on legitimate sites that had been compromised.

Additionally, crypto-specific schemes are promoted via social media spam. These posts and private/direct messages can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., ones originally belonging to real projects, organizations, companies, entrepreneurs, celebrities, etc.).

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

We strongly advise vigilance when browsing. Be wary of sites, adverts, and messages making promises that sound too good to be true. Pay attention to URLs and enter them carefully. Do not use websites offering pirated content or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages typically use rogue advertising networks.

Approach incoming emails and other messages with caution; do not open attachments or links found in suspicious/irrelevant mail. Do not enable questionable sites to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny their requests (i.e., select "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 additional apps, extensions, tools, 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 "Arbitrum ($ARB) Rewards Distribution" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official Arbitrum website (arbitrum.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 "Arbitrum ($ARB) Rewards Distribution" 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?

Online scams are a type of deceptive content aiming to trick users into performing specific actions, which is promoted on the Web. For example, victims can be enticed into connecting cryptowallets to drainers, sending money to scammers, disclosing private information, downloading/installing software, purchasing products, and so on.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals primarily profit by obtaining funds through deception, abusing/selling private information, endorsing websites/software, and spreading malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "Arbitrum ($ARB) Rewards Distribution" scam, can I get my money back?

Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible due to their practically untraceable nature. Hence, victims of scams like "Arbitrum ($ARB) Rewards Distribution" cannot get their money back.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are mainly promoted via spam (e.g., social media posts, DMs/PMs, emails, browser notifications, etc.), webpages using rogue advertising networks, intrusive advertisements (malvertising), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning visited websites for deceptive/malicious content. Additionally, it can deny further access to sites hosting such content.

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