How to identify fake giveaways like "Win Space Skellies NFTs"

What is "Win Space Skellies NFTs"?

Following a thorough investigation, it has come to light that this is a cryptocurrency scam designed to exploit unsuspecting individuals by stealing their digital assets. The scam is propagated through X (Twitter) and a deceptive webpage promoting a fraudulent giveaway. Consequently, users are strongly advised to disregard these solicitations to prevent any potential loss of their cryptocurrency.

"Win Space Skellies NFTs" in detail

The post on X (Twitter) promoting the scam presents itself as a community centered around a collection of digital assets known as "Skellies", purportedly dedicated to safeguarding the galaxy on a planetary scale. The promotional content directs users to an event at event.skelliesstored[.]world.

The post emphasizes that this is not merely a PFP collection but an opportunity to engage in play-to-earn (P2E) and player-versus-player (PVP) activities as the Skellies are developed. Clicking the link provided in this post opens a deceptive page promoting a fake giveaway.

The scam page introduces an event tied to the New Year, claiming to give away thousands of prizes for blockchain users. It positions Space Skellies as aiming to be the "blue chip" on the Stargaze blockchain, emphasizing its significance. It states that Space Skellies has been voted the most anticipated collection, boasting over 25% of the community's support.

Following the instructions (connecting a crypto wallet) on this page grants approval to a harmful smart contract housing a drainer code. Once authorized, the drainer executes unauthorized transactions, depleting the user's digital assets (cryptocurrency) and causing financial losses.

Threat Summary:

Name	Win Space Skellies NFTs crypto scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can win free NFTs
Disguise	Legitimate Spece Skellies giveaway
Related Domain	event.skelliesstored[.]world
Detection Names	Avira (Phishing), Emsisoft (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), Kaspersky (Malware), Seclookup (Malicious), 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.
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Similar scams in general

Crypto giveaway scams exhibit common traits, enticing users with the allure of significant rewards, usually in the form of free cryptocurrency. These scams employ deceptive methods like counterfeit social media profiles, deceptive URLs, and misleading promotions to lure individuals into participation.

Typically, these scams demand personal information, private keys, or a small initial deposit under the false pretext that such actions are necessary to unlock the promised rewards. Notable examples of similar scams include "Mint Fun", "Starknet Airdrop", and "New Paradigm Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

This deceptive scheme is promoted through X (Twitter) posts, guiding users to a misleading page upon clicking the provided link. Crypto scams, along with other fraudulent activities, may also be propagated through misleading advertisements and notifications originating from untrustworthy sites. At times, scammers employ adware to trick users into visiting deceptive websites.

In other situations, unsuspecting individuals stumble upon scam websites while navigating pages linked to rogue advertising networks. These networks are commonly associated with pages offering illicit movie streaming services, torrent platforms, and similar channels.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be wary of unsolicited or suspicious messages or posts, especially those promising extravagant rewards or free cryptocurrency. Exercise caution while browsing and interacting with online content. Be skeptical of ads or notifications from unfamiliar sources, particularly those offering deals that seem too good to be true. Stick to well-known and trusted websites.

Employ reliable security software and stay updated on prevalent online scams. If your computer is already infected with unwanted apps, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.

The appearance of "Win Space Skellies NFTs" scam (GIF):

Screenshot of the post on X (Twitter) promoting this scam:

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Quick menu:

• What is Win Space Skellies NFTs crypto scam?
• 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 fake crypto giveaway?

A deceptive crypto giveaway involves scammers making false promises of free cryptocurrency rewards to entice individuals into divulging personal information (e.g., private keys or seed phrases) or making initial deposits.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

Typically, the primary objective is to pilfer cryptocurrency from unsuspecting individuals.

How these scams are promoted?

Individuals often come across deceptive cryptocurrency giveaways via misleading social media posts, fake websites, phishing emails, or deceptive online advertisements. These scams exploit users' trust and curiosity, leading them to engage with seemingly lucrative offers.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Designed for comprehensive scanning, Combo Cleaner adeptly identifies and flags malicious websites during your online activities. This extends to websites associated with scam operations, providing prompt alerts and preventing access to potentially harmful sites.

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