Avoid getting scammed by the fake "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway"

What is "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway"?

"SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway" is a scam promoted on various untrustworthy websites. It is presented as a cryptocurrency mass adoption program. Supposedly, users will get twice the return of either Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH) cryptocurrency they contribute to the program. However, users will not receive any return and simply lose the BTC/ETH they transfer to the scam.

Deceptive sites are usually accessed via mistyped URLs, or redirects caused by rogue webpages, intrusive ads, or installed PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications).

"SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway" overview

The "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway" scam is a program allegedly created by the SpaceX company and its founder Elon Musk. It must be emphasized that neither the aerospace and communications company nor the entrepreneur and business magnate in question - are associated with this scheme. Scammers often incorporate the names of real people or entities to create the impression of legitimacy.

This scam claims that users will receive twice the amount of Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH) cryptocurrency they submit to the fake program. The smallest contribution amounts are 0,1 BTC/ 1 ETH and the largest 20 BTC/ 500 ETH respectively. However, all of these claims are false. Instead of getting some return, victims of this scheme will only lose the cryptocurrency they contribute.

Threat Summary:

Name	SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway scam website
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Scam claims users will receive twice the return on the cryptocurrency they contribute to it.
Disguise	Scam is disguised as a cryptocurrency mass adoption program created by SpaceX/ Elon Musk.
Cyber Criminals' Cryptowallet Address	13NKkx1epf5TcbisVSkDjMNWT1BTStv2yU (Bitcoin) and 0x7E4580A388Fbd4F653C6E467dB2741c17E9a202a (Ethereum)
Related Domains	eventspacex[.]io, mcrostrategy[.]com, spacex-btc[.]org, spacex[.]gives, spacex-go[.]com, up-spacex[.]com
Detection Names (eventspacex[.]io)	Emsisoft (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), Fortinet (Malicious), Certego (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. ▼ 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.

Online scams in general

"BITCOIN DONATE", "Binance giveaway", and "BTC giveaway" are a few examples of cryptocurrency-themed scams. The Internet is rife with misleading, deceptive, and even malicious content. Therefore, the disguises employed by scams and the methods used to generate revenue - vary drastically.

Online schemes may lead to system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft. Due to this, it is crucial to exercise caution when browsing.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

PUAs appear legitimate, yet they can have harmful abilities like force-opening dubious sites (e.g., "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway" scam pages), running intrusive ad campaigns, hijacking browsers, and collecting private data.

Unwanted applications are distributed using the "bundling" method - packing regular software with various additions. Rushed download/installation processes increase the risk of allowing bundled content into the system. Intrusive advertisements proliferate PUAs as well. Once clicked on, the ads can execute scripts to make stealthy downloads/installations. PUAs may also have "official" download webpages.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is advised to research software and download it only from official/verified sources. Untrustworthy download channels, e.g., unofficial and freeware sites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, etc. - often offer bundled and harmful content.

When downloading/installing, it is recommended to read terms, study available options, and use the "Custom/Advanced" settings to opt-out from all additions. Intrusive advertisements appear legitimate; however, they redirect to highly questionable sites (e.g., gambling, pornography, adult-dating, etc.).

In case of encounters with such ads and/or redirects, the system must be checked and all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins detected - immediately removed from it. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Text presented in the "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway" scam:

Rules Transactions Join event
SpaceX Live Event →
Official giveaway  of BTC and ETH from SpaceX
Elon Musk believes that blockchain and bitcoin will make the world more fair. To speed up the process of cryptocurrency mass adoption, We decided to run Bitcoin & Ethereum giveaway

 

More info
Participate

 

CURRENCY BTC

 

CURRENCY ETH

 

COMPANY SpaceX

 

CEO Elon Musk

 

AMOUNT 55.300.000$

 

Rules ↓
To participate you just need to send from 0,1 BTC to 20 BTC or 1 ETH to 500 ETH to the giveaway address and we will immediately send you back 0.2 BTC to 40 BTC or 2 ETH to 1 000 ETH (x2) to the address you sent it from.

 

Ethereum ↓
Send 1+ ETH to receive 2+ ETH back.
Send 5+ ETH to receive 10+ ETH back.
Send 10+ ETH to receive 20+ ETH back.
Send 25+ ETH to receive 50+ ETH back.
Send 100+ ETH to receive 200+ ETH back.

 

Bitcoin ↓
Send 0,1+ BTC to receive 0,2+ BTC
Send 0.5+ BTC to receive 1+ BTC
Send 1+ BTC to receive 2+ BTC
Send 2.5+ BTC to receive 5+ BTC
Send 5+ BTC to receive 10+ BTC

 

SpaceX ETH payment address

 

You can send ETH to the following address

 

0x7E4580A388Fbd4F653C6E467dB2741c17E9a202a

 

SpaceX BTC payment address

 

You can send BTC to the following address

 

13NKkx1epf5TcbisVSkDjMNWT1BTStv2yU

The appearance of "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway" pop-up scam (GIF):

Other variants of SpaceX crypto giveaway-themed scam websites:

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Quick menu:

• What is SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway scam website?
• 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 pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams are deceptive messages intended to trick users into performing specific actions (e.g., installing malicious software, revealing personal data, etc.). In case of the "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway" scam, it aims to lure users into transferring cryptocurrency to the scammers' digital wallet address.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Pop-up scams aim to generate revenue at user expense, yet how they achieve this - varies. The "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway" scheme profits by tricking users into transferring cryptocurrency to it. In general, scams may proliferate malware, collect sensitive information provided by users under false pretenses, and so on.

I have sent cryptocurrency to the address presented in the "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway" scam, can I get my money back?

No, cryptocurrency transactions are virtually untraceable; hence, they cannot be returned.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Pop-up scams are usually hosted by untrustworthy websites, which users seldom access intentionally. Such sites may be force-opened by installed dubious software or redirected to by other rogue pages or intrusive advertisements.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner will scan visited websites and detect malicious ones. Scams are considered part of this category. Therefore, access to such sites will be restricted, and you will be warned immediately.

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