How to spot scams like Ledger Live Update

What is "Ledger Live Update" scam?

We have analyzed this website and concluded that it is a scam website used to distribute malicious software. This site is likely promoted through compromised (hacked) websites. It is disguised as a download page for the Ledger Live application mandatory update.

"Ledger Live Update" scam in detail

The website itself is designed to look like the official ledger[.] come site. Ledger is a legitimate company that develops security and infrastructure solutions for cryptocurrencies and more. Cybercriminals behind the fake Ledger website attempt to trick visitors into downloading a "mandatory update" for the Ledger Live application.

It is known that this deceptive website is used to distribute malware. It downloads a malicious file. Although, it is unknown what type of malware is distributed through it. It could be a cryptocurrency miner, some Trojan, ransomware, or another piece of malware.

Threat Summary:

Name	Ledger Live fake update
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Mandatory updaters are available for the Ledger Live application
Disguise	Official ledger[.]com website
Distributed Malware	Unknown
Detection Names (Diatributed Malicious File)	Avast (Win32:PWSX-gen [Trj]), BitDefender (Trojan.GenericKD.48527722), Emsisoft (Trojan.GenericKD.48527722 (B)), Kaspersky (HEUR:Trojan-PSW.MSIL.Stealer.gen), Lionic (Trojan.MSIL.Stealer.i!c), 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.

Similar scams in general

Typically, fake websites look similar to legitimate ones. However, they have different URL addresses. This particular scam page is used to trick visitors into downloading malware. However, it is common for pages of this type to be used to extract sensitive information (login credentials, credit card details, etc.).

More examples of deceptive websites (scam pages) are "Sync Wallets Scam", "WalletConnect POP-UP Scam", "Exodus Restore Wallet Scam".

How did I open a scam website

In most cases, scam websites are promoted via other sites that use rogue advertising networks, deceptive advertisements, compromised websites. Also, they can appear in search results when promoted using search engine poisoning techniques. Additionally, scams can be promoted via adware and other questionable software. In all cases, scam websites get visited inadvertently.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Do not trust shady websites - do not download files/programs from them or click advertisements while visiting them. Always use official pages and direct links as sources for downloading apps and files. Do not allow shady websites to show their notifications (or click notifications displayed by such pages with permission to show them).

Deselect unwanted applications before downloading or installing software bundled with them. It can be achieved by changing "Custom", "Advanced", or other settings presented in downloaders and installers. If your computer is already infected with unwanted apps, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

Appearance of the fake Ledger website:

Text presented in "Ledger Live Update" scam scam website:

SECURITY NOTICE

WINDOWS SECURITY UPDATE

The Windows version of the Ledger Live app requires a mandatory update - if you've been sent here from a Ledger email, that means your Ledger Live software for Windows requires updating due to a security fix.

We highly recommend applying this security fix as soon possible, as Ledger will not be responsible for lost funds if the security update is not applied due time.

[Download]

Learn more about Ledger Live

Screenshot of the malicious file ("meta.dll") distributed via fake Ledger website detected as malicious on VirusTotal:

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ 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 Ledger Live fake update?
• 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 the purpose of the Ledger Live Update scam website?

This website is designed to trick visitors into believing that they have to download a mandatory update for the Ledger Live application. It downloads a file used to distribute malware.

Why do I encounter fake websites?

Usually, these pages get opened through deceptive advertisements, other shady websites (or compromised pages), installed malicious apps. Also, such sites can appear in search results (when promoted using search engine poisoning techniques). Scam websites rarely are visited on purpose.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me scam websites?

Combo Cleaner will scan all websites and detect malicious ones. It will warn you when untrustworthy websites are opened and restrict access to them.

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