How to identify scams like the fraudulent "$WLFI Airdrop"

What is the fake "$WLFI Airdrop"?

We have inspected the website (worldliberty-financial[.]net) and found that it is a fake site mimicking the original one (worldlibertyfinancial.com). Both web pages have similar designs. However, the fraudulent one is utilized to steal cryptocurrency from victims. Users should avoid visiting the fake website.

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.

"$WLFI Airdrop" scam website in detail

World Liberty Financial (WLF) is a cryptocurrency and decentralized finance (DeFi) company. It provides services that include earning interest via DeFi platforms and securing loans using crypto assets as collateral. The official World Liberty Financial website is worldlibertyfinancial.com.

The deceptive website, worldliberty-financial[.]net, falsely announces that the $WLFI Phase 2 airdrop is live and instructs users to connect their wallets to check their allocation. It implies that users may be eligible for free $WLFI tokens. However, following the instructions on the fake page (connecting a wallet) activates a cryptocurrency drainer.

This malicious tool can automatically transfer cryptocurrency from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. Simply put, it is designed to drain victims' crypto wallets. Since blockchain transactions cannot be reversed, any assets stolen by scammers are usually lost forever. Therefore, users should only connect their crypto wallets when using trusted and legitimate platforms to protect their funds.

Similar scams in general

Scam sites mimicking platforms like World Liberty Financial are created to defraud users. They often lure people with offers of free tokens or exclusive benefits, encouraging them to connect their wallets, which allows attackers to steal their funds. Users should always verify the authenticity of websites and be cautious about engaging with unsolicited or dubious crypto promotions.

Some examples of other fake crypto airdrops are "Converge Rewards Program", "Flare Airdrop", and "Wall Street Pepe ($WEPE) Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

Cybercriminals use a range of deceptive tactics to drive traffic to scam websites designed to activate cryptocurrency drainers. These fraudulent sites are often promoted through compromised or fake social media profiles, particularly on platforms like X (Twitter), and through hijacked WordPress websites.

Scam sites are also promoted via torrent platforms, illegal movie streaming pages, and other websites of this kind that rely on rogue advertising networks. In other cases, users are redirected to these scams after interacting with misleading ads, deceptive pop-ups, or push notifications from questionable websites.

Additionally, deceptive emails and adware can be used to lure users into visiting fraudulent pages hosting scams.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Avoid opening attachments or clicking on any links in irrelevant, unexpected messages (including emails) from unknown senders. Also, do not click on ads, pop-ups, or links found on untrustworthy websites, and deny notification requests from suspicious pages. Always obtain software from official sources or well-known app stores. Keep your operating system and applications up to date.

Additionally, use reliable security software to detect and block potential threats. 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 "$WLFI Airdrop" scam (GIF):

The original website (worldlibertyfinancial.com):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake $WLFI Airdrop?
• 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 (giveaway) is a crypto scam where fraudsters entice people with fake offers of free tokens or rewards to trick them.

What is the purpose of a fake airdrop?

Scammers use deceptive cryptocurrency giveaways to steal digital assets, employing methods like phishing, wallet-draining tools, and other fraudulent tactics.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Cybercriminals use fake or compromised social media accounts, hijacked WordPress sites, torrent platforms, illegal streaming pages (and other pages that use rogue advertising networks), misleading ads, pop-ups, push notifications, deceptive emails, or adware to trick users into opening these fraudulent pages.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scam sites?

Combo Cleaner provides security by scanning websites for harmful or deceptive content and blocking access to those flagged as unsafe or fraudulent. This helps protect users from online scams, phishing attacks, and various other threats.