Avoid getting scammed by fake "VENOM Airdrop" websites

What kind of scam is "VENOM Airdrop"?

This "VENOM Airdrop" is a scam. This bogus airdrop supposedly distributes VENOM tokens for testing purposes. However, once a digital wallet is connected to this scam – it begins operating as a cryptocurrency drainer.

"VENOM Airdrop" scam overview

This fake airdrop claims to distribute VENOM tokens for testing purposes. It states that the tokens have no monetary value. This scam has been observed being promoted on the X (more commonly known by its former name – Twitter) social media platform by using a fake Venom Foundation account.

In this manner, the scam attempts to ascertain some level of association with Venom Foundation – a blockchain platform. However, this airdrop has no affiliation with any legitimate entities.

After a user connects their digital wallet to this fraudulent giveaway, it starts operating as a crypto drainer. In other words, victims' digital assets are transferred to wallets owned by cyber criminals through an automated mechanism. Some drainers can guesstimate the value of stored funds and prioritize them.

These transactions may appear vague, thus not raising immediate user suspicion. All or most of the victims' funds can get stolen by a crypto drainer. It is noteworthy that due to the virtually untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions, they cannot be reversed – meaning that victims cannot retrieve their assets.

Threat Summary:

Name	"VENOM Airdrop" crypto drainer
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Users can claim worthless Venom tokens, which are distributed for testing purposes.
Disguise	Venom Foundation
Related Domains	join-venom[.]com, check-venom[.]network
VirusTotal Detections and Serving IP Addresses	join-venom[.]com (N/A), check-venom[.]network (172.67.188.54)
Distribution methods	Social media spam, compromised websites, 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.

Crypto drainer scam examples

"BlackRockFund", "Cosmos Million", and "CREO ENGINE Launchpad" are merely a few examples of cryptocurrency drainers we have investigated recently. Aside from this type of crypto-related scam, other popular ones include fake airdrops/giveaways that trick victims into transferring cryptocurrency for a doubled/tripled return and those targeting wallet log-in credentials.

The Internet is rife with deceptive and malicious content in general. While online scams use different claims and mechanisms, the end goal is the same – to generate revenue at victims' expense.

How did I open a scam website?

The "VENOM Airdrop" scam has been observed being promoted by X (formerly Twitter) posts made by a fake Venom Foundation account. However, it could be endorsed utilizing other accounts or tactics.

Crypto-centric schemes are also commonly pushed using social media accounts stolen from genuine organizations, companies, influencers, celebrities, etc.

Additionally, scam sites can be accessed via other types of spam (e.g., PMs/DMs, emails, SMSes, browser notifications, forum posts, etc.), websites employing rogue advertising networks, mistyped URLs (typosquatting), intrusive adverts, and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

We strongly recommend being vigilant when browsing, as fraudulent and dangerous online content usually appears genuine and harmless. For example, while intrusive ads and spam browser notifications look innocuous – they redirect to highly questionable pages (e.g., scam-promoting, gambling, pornography, adult dating, etc.).

To avoid receiving unwanted browser notifications – do not permit suspect sites to deliver them (i.e., do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", etc.). Instead, deny notification delivery from such pages (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.) or ignore these requests altogether.

Be vigilant with incoming mail, and do not open attachments/links found in suspicious emails or other messages. We advise against using websites that offer pirated content or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages usually use rogue advertising networks.

To prevent bundled/harmful software (e.g., adware, etc.) from infiltrating the system – download only from official/verified sources and treat installations with care (e.g., read terms, study possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of all supplementary apps, extensions, etc.).

If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.

The appearance of "VENOM Airdrop" scam (GIF):

Screenshot of "VENOM Airdrop" scam promoted by a fake Venom Foundation X (formerly Twitter) account:

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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 "VENOM 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?

Basically, an online scam refers to fraudulent content hosted on the Web, which is meant to deceive users into performing specific actions. To elaborate some, victims may be lured into connecting their wallets to drainers, disclosing private information, transferring funds, purchasing products, downloading/installing software, subscribing to services, and so on.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams aim to generate revenue at victims' expense. For example, by obtaining funds through deception, promoting websites/software/etc., abusing/selling sensitive data, and spreading malware.

I have lost cryptocurrency to the "VENOM Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?

Cryptocurrency transactions are practically untraceable – hence, they cannot be reversed, and victims are incapable of retrieving their digital assets.

Why do I encounter online scams?

X (more known by its former name – Twitter) posts made by a fake Venom Foundation account have been used to promote the "VENOM Airdrop" scam. Other promotional methods are not unlikely. Online scams are primarily endorsed via spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), intrusive ads, sites using rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to scan visited websites and detect rogue, deceptive/scam, and malicious ones. Therefore, should you enter such a site – you will be immediately warned, and further access to it will be blocked.

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