Avoid getting scammed by "Congratulations You just received TetherUSDT"
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is the "Congratulations You just received TetherUSDT" scam?
While inspecting deceptive sites, our researchers discovered the "Congratulations You just received TetherUSDT" scam. It is yet another phishing scam targeting cryptocurrency wallet credentials.
"Congratulations You just received TetherUSDT" scam overview
When we accessed a website running this scam, it presented us with a statement claiming that the visitor has received 5300 USDT (Tether cryptocurrency). At the time of writing, the fake prize is worth about five thousand USD (note, exchange rates constantly fluctuate, and the conversion may no longer be inaccurate).
To receive the cryptocurrency, the phishing scam requests users to enter their digital wallet credentials - "12 Word Secret Private Key Recovery Phrase". With this information in their possession, the scammers can gain access to victims' cryptowallets and the funds stored therein.
| Name | Congratulations You just received TetherUSDT scam website |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Visitor has received 5300 Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency |
| 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. |
Cryptocurrency-themed scam examples
We have analyzed many cryptocurrency-centered scams; "Solana scam", "Ronin Wallet scam", "OpenSea scam" - are a few examples of phishing schemes targeting wallet credentials, and "PancakeSwap Giveaway", "CoinMarketCap Giveaway", "1INCH Giveaway" - are a couple of fake cryptocurrency giveaways.
The Internet is rife with misleading, deceptive, and malicious content. Therefore, we strongly advise exercising caution when browsing.
How did I open a scam website?
Deceptive websites are rarely accessed intentionally. They are commonly entered through pages that use rogue advertising networks, which can force-open scam sites upon initial access or when hosted content (e.g., buttons, links, ads, etc.) is clicked.
Online scams are also endorsed through spam browser notifications and intrusive ads. Mistyped URLs can cause a redirect (or a redirection chain leading) to a deceptive webpage. Adware can display advertisements promoting scams or force-open their sites.
How to avoid visiting scam websites?
Scam websites are usually accessed via redirects caused by pages using rogue advertising networks, spam browser notifications, mistyped URLs, intrusive adverts, or installed adware.
Therefore we advise against using sites that offer pirated content or other questionable services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.) since they typically use rogue advertising networks.
To avoid receiving unwanted browser notifications, do not permit suspicious sites to deliver them (i.e., do not click "Allow", "Allow Notifications", etc.). Instead, ignore or deny notification delivery requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).
Additionally, we recommend being careful when entering website addresses (URLs). We also advise downloading only from official/verified sources and approaching installation processes with care (e.g., using "Custom/Advanced" settings, opting-out of all additions, etc.) - to avoid permitting untrustworthy software into the system.
If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.
Text presented in "Congratulations You just received TetherUSDT" scam:
Initial page:
Congratulations
You just received 5300 TetherUSDT
[Receive Now]
-----------------------
Second page:
Input Your Secret Private Key Recovery Phrase
Your 12 word Secret Private Key Recovery Phrase grants access to your account. Please input it in the order specified.
Enter your secret private key recovery phrase
Separate each word with a space
[Continue]
The appearance of "Congratulations You just received TetherUSDT" pop-up scam (GIF):
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:
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Quick menu:
- What is Congratulations You just received TetherUSDT 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 designed to trick users into performing certain actions, e.g., disclosing private data (log-in credentials, personally identifiable details, etc.), transferring money/cryptocurrency, downloading/installing and/or purchasing software, calling fake support lines, and so on.
What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?
Pop-up scams are used to generate revenue. Cyber criminals can profit by obtaining funds via deception, abusing or selling sensitive information, promoting software, proliferating malware, etc.
Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?
Pop-up scams are promoted on deceptive sites, which users usually access inadvertently. Most users enter them through redirects caused by webpages using rogue advertising networks, mistyped URLs, spam browser notifications, intrusive adverts, or installed adware.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?
Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning visited websites and detecting rogue, deceptive, and malicious ones. Hence, you will be immediately warned if you access such a site. Additionally, Combo Cleaner will block all further access to these harmful webpages.
Outstanding!
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