How to identify scams like the fake "Aerodrome $veAERO Voting Rewards" platform

What is the fake "Aerodrome $veAERO Voting Rewards" site?

We have examined the site (enlist-aerodrome[.]app) and discovered that it is a copy of the original Aerodrome Finance site (aerodrome[.]finance). This fake website is created to steal cryptocurrency from users. It uses an offer to participate in a crypto giveaway as a lure. Users should not trust this site to avoid financial loss.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We do not review crypto projects, please do your own research when investing money.

Federal Trade Comission (FTC) states that since the start of 2021, more than 46,000 people have reported losing over $1 billion in crypto to scams – that's about one out of every four dollars reported lost, more than any other payment method.

"Aerodrome $veAERO Voting Rewards" scam in detail

Aerodrome Finance (aerodrome[.]finance) is an advanced Automated Market Maker (AMM) developed to be the main liquidity center for Base. It integrates a robust system for liquidity incentives, a vote-lock governance model, and a user-friendly interface. Aerodrome also incorporates the newest features from Velodrome V2.

Scammers exploited the name of this platform to trick users into participating in a fake giveaway hosted on enlist-aerodrome[.]app. The fraudulent site offers individuals the opportunity to claim $veAERO voting rewards by connecting their wallets. However, connecting a wallet using the form provided by enlist-aerodrome[.]app signs a malicious contract.

Signing a malicious contract on this fake website activates a cryptocurrency drainer designed to automatically drain crypto wallets. This drainer transfers the funds from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. It is important to note that such transactions are irreversible. Thus, victims cannot retrieve cryptocurrency holdings lost due to scams.

Users should examine cryptocurrency platforms before connecting wallets, transferring cryptocurrency, or taking other actions to avoid financial losses, identity theft, and other risks associated with crypto-related scams.

Threat Summary:

Name	Fake Aerodrome $veAERO Voting Rewards program
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants can receive cryptocurrency for free
Disguise	Legitimate airdrop hosted by Aerodrome Finance (aerodrome.finance)
Related Domain	enlist-aerodrome[.]app
Detection Names (enlist-aerodrome[.]app)	N/A (VirusTotal)
Symptoms	Unofficial domain, lack of official verification, unrealistic claims, too good-to-be-true promises.
Distribution methods	Compromised social media accounts, hijacked WordPress sites, rogue online pop-up ads, phishing emails, unwanted applications.
Damage	Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible malware infections.
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Similar scams in general

Scammers behind fake giveaways/airdrops like the one described in our article lure victims with the promise of free cryptocurrency. However, those who fall for these scams end up activating crypto drainers, resulting in the loss of their digital assets. Some examples of similar scams are the fake "Bitget Wallet (BWB) Airdrop", "Manta Galaxies Registration", and "$PunkAI Airdrop Registration" sites.

How did I open a scam website?

Users often open scam websites through phishing or other fraudulent emails containing links or attachments. These links can also be shared through social media posts or direct messages. Pretty often, scammers use stolen social media accounts (or hijacked WordPress) sites to promote scams involving crypto drainers.

Furthermore, scam sites can be encountered through misleading ads, pop-ups, fake download buttons, notifications from untrustworthy websites, etc. Additionally, users can land on pages hosting scams via torrent sites, illegal movie streaming pages, and similar platforms that use rogue advertising networks.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Double-check URLs before clicking, especially in suspicious (e.g., irrelevant or unexpected) emails and messages from unknown addresses/people. Do not trust ads (e.g., warnings or offers) on shady sites, and do not allow pages of this kind to send notifications. Download applications and files from trustworthy sources, such as official websites and app stores.

Keep all installed apps (and the operating system) up to date. Additionally, use a reputable security program and scan your computer for unwanted apps and threats on a regular basis. 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 "Aerodrome $veAERO Voting Rewards" scam (GIF):

Real aerodrome[.]finance page:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Aerodrome $veAERO Voting Rewards program?
• 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 giveaway?

A deceptive giveaway is a scam in which fraudsters attract participants with fake promises of prizes or rewards, like gift cards or cryptocurrency.

What is the purpose of a fake giveaway?

Fraudulent airdrops and giveaways are schemes intended to deceive participants into divulging personal information, such as cryptocurrency wallet login credentials, sending money, activating cryptocurrency drainers, or taking other actions.

Why do I encounter fake giveaways and other scams?

Users often encounter scam websites through misleading advertisements, pop-ups, and phishing emails. Additionally, they may unintentionally visit these sites via platforms that use illegal advertising networks, links shared on fake or compromised social media profiles, or ads displayed by unreliable adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pages hosting scams?

Combo Cleaner can evaluate web pages and spot dubious ones, including those related to scams. When such sites are detected, it notifies users and restricts access to shield them from potential threats.

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