How to avoid getting scammed by fake "$USD1 Token" airdrops

What is the fake "$USD1 Token" airdrop?

Our researchers discovered this fake "$USD1 Token" airdrop (usd1-worldlibertyfi[.]com; potentially other domains) while investigating suspicious websites. This scam imitates the World Liberty Financial website running a USD1 airdrop and aims to trick users into exposing their cryptowallets to a drainer. It must be stressed that this bogus airdrop is not associated with any existing projects or entities.

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.

Fake "$USD1 Token" airdrop overview

We found this fraudulent USD1 airdrop on usd1-worldlibertyfi[.]com, but it could be hosted on different domains as well. The scam is disguised as World Liberty Financial (worldlibertyfinancial.com) – a DeFi (Decentralized Finance) protocol advertising a direct connection to Donald Trump.

It must be reiterated that this airdrop is fake, and this scam is not associated with the real World Liberty Financial protocol or any other existing sites, projects, or entities.

Once a digital wallet is connected to the imitator webpage – a malicious contract is signed, through which the cryptocurrency drainer is facilitated. Essentially, a mechanism is triggered that enables the siphoning of the victim's digital assets through automated transactions. Said activity may appear vague – thus, it can remain unnoticed for a significant amount of time.

It is noteworthy that some drainers can approximate the worth of assets and prioritize the theft of those with the highest value. Cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed because of their practically untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "$USD1 Token" airdrop cannot recover the stolen funds.

Cryptocurrency drainer scam examples

We have investigated many cryptocurrency drainers; "Claim Arbus", "Converge Rewards Program", fake "Hinkal" website, and "Flare Airdrop" are merely some of our newest articles.

Scams that target digital currencies tend to do so in one of three ways – by using draining mechanisms to steal assets from exposed wallets, phishing for wallet log-in credentials, or deceiving users into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets.

While it is common for online scams to be poorly made and riddled with errors, they can be competently put together and even believably disguised as content associated with real public figures or legitimate entities. Due to this, we strongly advise caution when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

Online scams are primarily promoted via websites that use rogue advertising networks, malvertising (intrusive ads), spam (e.g., emails, DMs/PMs, social media posts, browser notifications, cold calls/ robocalls, SMSes, etc.), typosquatting (mistyped URLs), and adware.

Crypto drainers specifically are often endorsed via intrusive pop-up adverts. Some are fully functional drainers themselves; they lure users into "connecting" digital wallets by promising incredible benefits. These advertisements have even been encountered on legitimate sites that had been compromised.

Another prevalent promotional technique for cryptocurrency-centered scams is social media spam. These posts and direct/private messages can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., ones originally belonging to real entrepreneurs, celebrities, influencers, projects, companies, organizations, etc.).

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Vigilance is essential to ensuring your online safety. Therefore, be wary of websites, ads, and communications making promises that sound too good to be true. Do not use sites offering pirated programs/media or other dubious services (e.g., illegal streaming/downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these webpages are typically monetized via rogue advertising networks.

Pay attention to URLs and type them carefully. Do not enable suspicious pages to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or deny their requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.). Exercise caution with incoming emails and other messages; do not open attachments or links found in questionable/irrelevant mail.

Download only from official/verified sources and be attentive when installing (e.g., read terms, explore options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, features, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software (like adware) from infiltrating the system.

If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.

Appearance of the fake "$USD1 Token" airdrop website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official World Liberty Financial website (worldlibertyfinancial.com):

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 "$USD1 Token Airdrop" crypto drainer?
• 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 an online scam?

Online scams are a type of deceptive content promoted on the Web; they aim to trick users into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be enticed into connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, sending money to scammers, revealing sensitive information, downloading/installing software, buying products, and so on.

What is the purpose of online scams?

The purpose of online scams is to generate revenue for scammers. They may profit by acquiring funds through deception, promoting content, selling/abusing private data, spreading malware, or through other means.

I have lost digital assets to the "$USD1 Token Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?

No, these transactions cannot be reversed because they are nearly untraceable. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "$USD1 Token" airdrop cannot get their money back.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are most commonly encountered via intrusive ads (malvertising), websites using rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., social media posts, DMs/PMs, emails, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites and detect rogue, deceptive, and malicious pages. It can also restrict all further access to such sites.