How to spot fake giveaways like the Ethereum giveaway

What kind of scam is Ethereum Giveaway?

The main purpose of crypto giveaway scams is to convince unsuspecting people to send cryptocurrency to scammers. Usually, scammers attempt to trick people into believing that they can receive twice as much cryptocurrency as they would send to them.

This particular giveaway scam is used to trick people into transferring Ethereum (ETH) cryptocurrency to the provided wallet. It is noteworthy that it is common for such scams to be promoted via YouTube, Twitter, and other platforms.

They can be promoted through deceptive advertisements and unwanted applications as well.

More about the Ethereum Giveaway scam

Scammers behind this giveaway scam use Vitalik Buterin's name (co-founder of Ethereum) to give it legitimacy. Their main goal is to trick people into believing that they can double their Ethereum by simply sending from 1 ETH to 500 ETH to the provided wallet.

They offer to receive 2 ETH for 1 ETH, 10 ETH for 5 ETH, 50 ETH for 25 ETH, and so forth. In order to extract larger amounts of ETH, scammers offer bonuses, for example, they claim that people will receive 10% for 10+ ETH, 20% for 25+ ETH, 40% for 100+ ETH, and 50% for 250+ ETH.

They also claim that this is a one-time chance to double their Ethereum - people can only participate once. Additionally, it is stated that this is a 50 000 ETH giveaway, and a third of it is already given away.

It is important to remember that almost all types of crypto giveaways are fake scams and follow a more or less similar pattern - they are disguised as giveaways sponsored by real people (e.g., Changpeng Zhao, Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and so on).

Another important thing to know that crypto transactions cannot be reversed. Therefore, people who fall for such scams have no way to get their crypto back.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake Ethereum giveaway
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Hoax	The more cryptocurrency is sent, the more will be received in return
Disguise	Ethereum giveaway sponsored by Vitalik Buterin
Related Domains	ethereumceo[.]live, live-eth[.]org
Detection Names (ethereumceo[.]live)	Certego (Malicious), Emsisoft (Phishing), ESTsecurity-Threat Inside (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address (binance-btc[.]fund)	63.250.38.204
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications.
Damage	Cryptocurrency 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.

Similarities with other scams

There are many similar giveaway scams on the Internet. A couple more examples are "Doge Giveaway Scam", "Binance Giveaway Scam", and "SAFEMOON Giveaway Scam". In some cases, scammers behind these scams attempt to trick people into providing sensitive information (they do not ask to send them cryptocurrency).

Either way, these scams must be ignored. As mentioned in the first paragraph, scam websites (and other untrustworthy) pages can be promoted through various unwanted applications. It is common that apps of this kind are designed to generate advertisements and (or) gather various information as well.

They generate banners, coupons, surveys, pop-up ads, etc., and (or) collect IP addresses, URLs of visited websites, entered search queries, geolocations and other browsing-related data. In some cases, apps of this kind can access passwords, credit card details, and other sensitive information. Typically, users download and install them inadvertently.

How did unwanted applications install on my computer?

Sometimes, apps of this kind are distributed via deceptive advertisements by designing them to run certain scripts that download or install those apps. However, the aforementioned ads cannot cause unwanted downloads, installations if users do not click them.

A more popular way to distribute such apps is to include them in downloaders or installers for programs as additional offers. Usually, undesired offers can be declined via settings like "Advanced", "Custom", "Manual", or by unticking certain checkboxes that those downloaders or installers have.

However, not all users check and change them, and that is how they allow for included apps to be downloaded or installed alongside the programs that those apps included in their download or installation setups.

How to avoid installation of unwanted applications?

Files or programs distributed via third-party downloaders, eMule, torrent clients, other Peer-to-Peer networks, unofficial pages, and so on, or third-party installers should not be trusted. It is common that their users install unwanted, potentially malicious software on their computers or browsers.

Apps and files should be downloaded from official websites and via direct links. Downloaders and installers that have "Custom", "Advanced," and other similar settings (or checkboxes) can have additional offers.

Downloads and installations should not be finished without declining those offers. Ads that appear on shady pages should not be clicked as well.

Quite often, those ads open dubious pages or even cause unwanted downloads, installations. Suspicious, unknown, or unwanted extensions, plug-ins, or add-ons installed on a browser or programs of this kind installed on a computer, then they should be removed/uninstalled.

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

The appearance of Ethereum Giveaway scam (GIF):

Text in this page:

Giveaway Rules FAQ Transactions
Hurry up and take part in the giveaway of
50 000 ETH
During this unique event we will give you a chance to win 50 000 ETH, have a look at the rules and don't miss on your chance!
More info Participate in the giveaway
Marketplace Price Predictions Live Event 50 000 ETH Giveaway
Ethereum (ETH)
50 000 ETH
About
We believe that Blockchain and Ethereum will make the world more fair. To speed up the process of cryptocurrency mass adoption, We decided to run 50 000 ETH giveaway.
Rules
To participate you just need to send from 1 ETH to 500 ETH to the contribution address and we will immediately send you back 2 ETH to 1 000 ETH (x2) to the address you sent it from.
For example
If you send 1+ ETH , you will get2+ ETH back.
If you send 5+ ETH, you will get 10+ ETH back.
If you send 10+ ETH, you will get 20+ ETH back.
If you send 25+ ETH, you will get 50+ ETH back.
If you send 50+ ETH, you will get 100+ ETH back.
If you send 100+ ETH, you will get 200+ ETH back.
If you send 250+ ETH, you will get 500+ ETH back.
Extra bonuses
10+ ETH = 10% Bonus
25+ ETH = 20% Bonus
100+ ETH = 40% Bonus
250+ ETH = 50% Bonus
You can only participate once.
15 850 ETH already sent to participants!

Hurry up and take part in the giveaway!
Use this QR code to participate

15 850 ETH
50 000 ETH
You can send ETH to the following address:
0x7Aa4bCF1BeFfA2d82a1eA237F370A19159795e90

Waiting for payment

FAQ
What do I have to do to participate in the giveaway?
How long will it take me to get my bonus?
Who is the sponsor of this giveaway?
How many times can I participate in the giveaway?
How do I get my bonus?
Transactions for Address
0x7Aa4bCF1BeFfA2d82a1eA237F370A19159795e90

Another example of Ethereum-themed giveaway scam website:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Ethereum giveaway?
• 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?

It is a type of scam in which a scammer attempts to deceive people into believing that some cryptocurrency exchange or celebrity is hosting a crypto giveaway. A scammer claims that in order to participate in the giveaway, people must first send a certain amount of cryptocurrency to the provided address. Victims never receive any cryptocurrency in return.

How giveaway scams are promoted?

These scams are promoted via YouTube, Twitter, Discord, and other platforms. Websites that use rogue advertising networks, notifications from shady pages, adware-type apps, and other shady apps are also used to promote these (and other) scams.

I have sent cryptocurrency to the address presented in such email, can I get my money back?

Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible. Therefore, it is impossible to reclaim the transferred cryptocurrency.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from websites that promote scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites and malicious ones, including various scam sites. Thus, you will be warned immediately, and access to such pages will be restricted.

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