How to avoid losing money via the "Find Unclaimed Airdrops" scam

What is "Find Unclaimed Airdrops"?

Our examination shows that this is a fraudulent operation posing as a platform offering the discovery of cryptocurrency airdrops (distribution of free cryptocurrency tokens or coins). The underlying intent of this scam is to obtain (steal) cryptocurrency from unsuspecting individuals. Thus, it should be ignored.

"Find Unclaimed Airdrops" scam in detail

This scam is promoted via posts on X (Twitter). Clicking the links in these posts leads to a fraudulent page (a platform called Alnetos) offering to find unclaimed airdrops. According to this page, users can receive notifications for new cryptocurrency airdrops and claims that billions of dollars are released in airdrops to early crypto users.

The site also asserts that a platform named Alnetos will inspect all provided addresses and notify users if they are eligible for any airdrop rewards. Users should exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of such platforms before providing any sensitive information. In this case, following the instructions on the page leads to monetary loss.

By adhering to the instructions detailed on this page, particularly in the process of linking a crypto wallet, users inadvertently provide authorization to a malicious smart contract embedded with a draining code. Upon obtaining access, this drainer code triggers unauthorized transactions, causing a depletion of the user's digital assets.

It is important to note that over ten thousand phishing websites employing the drainer were identified from March 2023 to the present, noting spikes in malicious activity during May, June, and November.

Threat Summary:

Name	Find Unclaimed Airdrops crypto scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Users can receive free cryptocurrency
Disguise	Legitimate platform for finding crypto aidrops
Related Domain	alnetos[.]com
Detection Names	ESET (Phishing), Fortinet (Phishing), 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

Crypto scams offering free giveaways share common traits such as making enticing promises of significant returns or free cryptocurrency, creating a sense of urgency and scarcity to prompt quick action, and utilizing social engineering tactics to manipulate emotions like the fear of missing out.

To o avoid falling prey to these scams, individuals should exercise caution, conduct thorough research, verify the legitimacy of offers through official channels, and refrain from sharing sensitive information or making payments in response to unsolicited and overly generous giveaway offers.

Examples of similar scams are "Earndrop", "Mint Fun", and "Starknet Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

It is common for scams like the one described in our article to be promoted via X (Twitter) by posting misleading posts with links designed to open supposedly official websites. Also, users can open scam sites via deceptive advertisements and notifications from shady pages.

In other cases, scams are promoted via adware (ads displayed by software of this type) and pages that use rogue advertising networks (e.g., illegal movie streaming pages and torrent sites).

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be cautious when clicking links in unsolicited emails, messages, or social media posts, especially those promising extravagant offers or requesting sensitive information. Confirm the legitimacy of pages by checking the URL for inconsistencies or misspellings, and use secure browsing tools and antivirus software to detect and block known scam sites.

Do not consent to receive notifications from dubious websites, avoid interacting with shady ads, and download apps from official pages or app stores. Additionally, stay informed about common scam tactics and phishing techniques. 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 "Find Unclaimed Airdrops" scam (GIF):

X (Twitter) post promoting the scam:

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 Find Unclaimed Airdrops 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 crypto scam?

A crypto scam involves deceptive actions in the realm of cryptocurrencies, wherein individuals or entities manipulate others with the aim of gaining financial benefits.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

The ultimate goal of crypto scams is to trick users into transferring money (crypto), providing personal information, or granting access to their digital assets.

Why do I encounter fake giveaways and other scams?

Fraudulent activities in the crypto space are frequently advertised through multiple avenues, such as phishing emails, social media platforms, counterfeit websites, notifications from dubious pages, deceptive ads, and more. As a rule, users access scam websites without intending to do so.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner analyzes every site you visit, identifying and marking malicious ones. This covers websites crafted for scam activities, ensuring swift alerts and blocking access to potentially risky sites for enhanced online security.

▼ Show Discussion