How to spot scams like the fake "Shiba Airdrop"

What is the fake "Shiba Airdrop"?

We have inspected the site shibar[.]vip and found that it is a deceptive page promoting a cryptocurrency airdrop (giveaway). The purpose of this scam is to trick users into disclosing personal information. Falling for this scam can result in financial loss. Thus, this page should be closed if ever opened.

"Shiba Airdrop" scam in detail

This scam page is disguised as a Shiba Inu airdrop and claims to reward users active in the crypto community. It alleges that over 142,000 addresses have already received airdropped tokens, based on a snapshot taken on April 11, 2025. To claim the supposed $SHIB tokens, visitors are instructed to connect their cryptocurrency wallet.

This site is designed to steal recovery phrases required to access crypto wallets. With this information, scammers can steal cryptocurrency from victims. Cryptocurrency stolen through scams is usually impossible to recover, since blockchain transactions are final and cannot be reversed. As a result, those who fall for such fraud often face financial damage.

To avoid this, users should thoroughly research crypto-related platforms before linking their wallets or interacting with them.

Similar scams in general

In conclusion, scam pages like this one are designed to deceive individuals by posing as legitimate airdrop events. Their true goal is to gain access to victims’ wallets and steal digital assets. Users should remain vigilant, avoid connecting wallets to unverified platforms, and never share recovery phrases.

Some examples of crypto scams are "$MOG Coin Airdrop", "Flare EVM Hub", and "HyperLend Vote Rewards".

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers often promote their scams through fake or compromised social media accounts, deceptive (or hijacked) websites, and deceptive advertisements, pop-ups, or notifications from shady web pages. Scam pages can also be encountered when visiting torrent platforms, illegal streaming sites, or other services that rely on rogue advertising networks.

Additionally, scammers can send deceptive emails with links or attachments to lure users. In some cases, adware can expose users to fraudulent content. Overall, scams are delivered in various deceptive ways.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Do not allow shady websites to send notifications and avoid interacting with ads, pop-ups, links, buttons, etc., on websites of this kind. Always examine irrelevant emails from unknown addresses before opening their contents (links or files). Download software from official web pages or app stores.

Regularly update the operating system and installed software, and use a reliable security tool. 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 "Shiba Airdrop" scam (GIF):

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Shiba giveaway?
• 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 airdrop?

A fake airdrop is a type of cryptocurrency scam where scammers falsely claim that users are eligible to receive free tokens.

What is the purpose of a fake airdrop?

Typically, fake crypto giveaways are used to steal cryptocurrency from unsuspecting individuals.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers use a variety of deceptive tactics to spread their schemes, including fake social media accounts, hijacked websites, misleading ads, and pop-ups. Users may also encounter scams through torrent sites, illegal streaming services, or via phishing emails and adware. These methods are all designed to trick users into engaging with fraudulent content.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scam sites?

Combo Cleaner helps protect users by analyzing websites for potential threats, detecting malicious or deceptive content, and preventing access to dangerous or misleading pages. This protection reduces the risk of falling victim to online scams and other security threats.