How to avoid falling for scams like "Brad Garlinghouse Crypto Giveaway"
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is "Brad Garlinghouse Crypto Giveaway"?
Following an evaluation of the website, our team has determined that it is promoting a deceptive giveaway. Scammers commonly use websites featuring misleading pop-up messages or comparable content to lure visitors into revealing sensitive details, making financial transactions, or engaging in other activities.
"Brad Garlinghouse Crypto Giveaway" in detail
This giveaway scam claims to be a massive XRP airdrop organized by Ripple Foundation, with Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO of Ripple, mentioned as the orchestrator. It suggests that participants can receive a share of 100,000,000 XRP by clicking on an official-looking link provided on the page.
The scam is designed to create a sense of urgency and excitement, implying that this giveaway is a special celebration and thanking the community for their support. However, it is important to note that this is a classic giveway scam.
The provided link likely leads to a fraudulent website where victims may be asked to enter their personal information, including wallet login credentials or even payment details, putting them at risk of identity theft, financial fraud, or other malicious activities.
In reality, legitimate cryptocurrency giveaways are typically conducted through official channels and announced transparently, not through unsolicited emails or messages. Users should exercise caution and avoid clicking on any suspicious links or providing personal information in response to such offers.
| Name | Brad Garlinghouse Crypto Giveaway scam |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Participants can receive a share of 100,000,000 XRP |
| Disguise | Legitimate cryptocurrency giveaway |
| Cybercriminals Cryptowallet Addresses (XRP) | rJ1ZcMbvEatx82j2d3vcvR7HcfLoWAjnu3, rfT7wyoMNWFUk857MJ9au17zmbCsezV76o, rEmN4PLqvTb3GeFLYwHecaTj726L6WSvff, rL8onLtfGt4J1JvBD9qS6Nk1vnq6Sb5tDn |
| Related Domain | xrpfoundaton-event[.]info, xrpevent-double[.]net, xrpfunds-promo[.]net, ripplex2[.]net |
| Detection Names (ripplex2[.]net) | ESET (Suspicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Symptoms | Fake error messages, fake system warnings, pop-up errors, hoax computer scan. |
| Distribution methods | Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially 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. |
Similar scams in general
These scams often masquerade as legitimate cryptocurrency giveaways or promotions, using high-profile figures and organizations' names to gain credibility. They lure victims with promises of substantial cryptocurrency rewards in exchange for clicking on links or providing personal information.
In reality, they aim to steal personal data, cryptocurrency wallet details, or even money from unsuspecting victims. It is crucial to be cautious of unsolicited offers and verify the legitimacy of such promotions through official channels to avoid falling victim to cryptocurrency giveaway scams.
Examples of similar scams are "Apple Crypto Giveaway", "Mr Beast GIFT CARDS GIVEAWAY", and "Bittrex Crypto Giveaway".
How did I open a scam website?
Users can find themselves on misleading web pages via a range of online routes. Engaging with deceptive or misleading online advertisements, particularly those that make enticing claims of effortless earnings or free rewards, can lead users to these types of web pages.
Moreover, users might unintentionally open malicious links found in emails, social media messages, or compromised websites, resulting in redirection to deceptive sites. Additionally, deceptive webpages can occasionally emerge within search engine results, exploiting trending search queries and keywords to entice unsuspecting users.
In some instances, shady browser extensions, such as ad-supported apps, have the capability to compel browsers to redirect users to deceptive pages.
How to avoid visiting scam pages?
Exercise caution when encountering unexpected offers that appear overly enticing, particularly when they arrive via email or social media. Validate the authenticity of such offers by visiting official websites or directly contacting trusted sources instead of clicking on the links provided. Pay close attention to website URLs, as scams frequently employ misspelled or dubious addresses.
Use reputable search engines such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo, as they are more inclined to screen out harmful websites from their search results. 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 "Brad Garlinghouse Crypto Giveaway" pop-up scam (GIF):
Text in this scam:
Brad Garlinghouse 100,000,000 #XRP Annual Airdrop!
LIVE
RIPPLE FOUNDATION
HUGE XRP EVENT
LIVE AIRDROP
Brad GarlinghouseTo celebrate our recent legal win against the SEC, we are having a 100,000,000 XRP giveaway. Nothing we do at Ripple would be possible without our community, and this is just a part of our efforts to assert that.
If you want to participate, it is simple to do. Just navigate to the XRP airdrop portal below to learn more:
Click this — official link to get XRP
Note: All persons are able to participate, including those in the United States. The competition will last until the entirety of the 100,000,000 XRP held in the airdrop-funds have been released. If you are late, your XRP will be instantly refunded.Thanks,
Brad Garlinghouse
Screenshot of a transaction instruction page from "Brad Garlinghouse Crypto Giveaway" scam website:
Text presented within:
100,000,000 XRP Airdrop
To verify your address, just send from 1,000 to 5,000,000 XRP to the address below and get from 2,000 to 10,000,000 XRP (x2 back!)rJ1ZcMbvEatx82j2d3vcvR7HcfLoWAjnu3
DESTINATION TAG: 7777777
Click/tap to copy the address!
Waiting for your transaction...1. To make a transaction, you can use any wallet that supports XRP.
2. For example, to get 10,000 XRP, send 5,000 XRP. You can use any wallet or exchange of choice to send XRP.
3. Once we receive your identifying transaction, we will immediately send the requested amount back to you.
BONUS SYSTEM:
If you send 10,000+ XRP you will get 20,000+ XRP + 25% BONUS
If you send 50,000+ XRP you will get 100,000+ XRP + 35% BONUS
If you send 100,000+ XRP you will get 200,000+ XRP + 50% BONUSStill waiting for transaction? Click HERE!
Every participant who is late gets their XRP immediately sent back - you won't lose anything.
XRP remaining:
55,371,469 / 100,000,000
Transactions for address: rJ1ZcMbvEatx82j2d3vcvR7HcfLoWAjnu3
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Quick menu:
- What is Brad Garlinghouse Crypto Giveaway scam?
- 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 giveaway scam?
A giveaway scam involves deceptive tactics where fraudsters make false assurances of valuable prizes or rewards to individuals, which could include items like cryptocurrency, gift cards, or money.
What is the purpose of a giveaway scam?
The primary objectives of giveaway scams are to financially deceive individuals, gather personal information, propagate to additional victims, or even disseminate malware.
Why do I encounter fake giveaways/websites running scams?
Fraudsters advertise counterfeit giveaways across various channels, including social media, unexpected emails, fraudulent websites, deceptive advertisements, pop-ups, and internet forums. Occasionally, they employ adware or comparable software to propagate their fraudulent schemes.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scam pages?
Combo Cleaner is engineered to conduct comprehensive scans of each website you access, with the ability to identify malicious ones. This includes websites designed to perpetrate scams, and as a result, you will receive an immediate warning, with access being restricted.
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