How to spot scams like the fake "Ethereal Vote" platform

What is the "Ethereal Vote" scam?

Our analysis of the site (etherealgovernance[.]app) has revealed that it is a fake web page. It is designed to appear like the original Ethereal website (ethereal.monster) to trick individuals into taking actions that can result in the theft of their cryptocurrency. Thus, it is highly advisable not to interact with 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.

"Ethereal Vote" scam website in detail

Ethereal (ethereal.monster) is a platform that helps businesses, gamers, and DeFi projects scale and secure their blockchain applications. It offers advanced technologies and tools to improve performance, automate processes, and ensure smart contract safety. Its goal is to make blockchain development easier and more reliable for a variety of industries.

Scammers behind the fake website (etherealgovernance[.]app) aim to trick visitors into believing that they can receive rewards in exchange for a vote. They offer users the chance to vote on certain pools or markets in exchange for a promised "Asset Multiplier" reward.

It claims that by participating in the vote, holders will receive increased returns (like 1.25x or 1.15x multipliers) on their assets once the voting period ends. Interacting with the site leads to a request to connect a wallet. Doing so activates a cryptocurrency drainer, a malicious tool used to steal cryptocurrency.

Once active, this drainer can transfer funds from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. It is important to mention that blockchain transactions are irreversible, and anyone who falls victim to scams usually cannot recover their lost assets. That is why it is essential to connect your crypto wallet only to trustworthy and verified platforms.

Similar scams in general

These fraudulent platforms are designed to steal funds by tricking users into connecting their crypto wallets. They promise various rewards to trick users into activating malicious tools that drain their assets. Unfortunately, victims of such scams typically lose their cryptocurrency permanently.

Some examples of similar scams are "Converge Rewards Program", "Symbiotic Participation Award", and "HyperLend Vote Rewards".

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers spread crypto drainer scams through fake or hacked social media accounts (mainly on platforms like X (Twitter)) or hijacked WordPress sites. People can also be tricked into visiting fraudulent websites through deceptive ads, pop-ups, and notifications from unreliable pages.

Users may also receive fraudulent emails with links or attachments that direct them to these scam sites. Additionally, scam pages can be encountered while visiting sites that use rogue advertising networks (e.g., torrent sites or pages offering illegal movie streaming services) or after clicking on ads delivered by adware.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Never allow suspicious websites to send you notifications. Do not interact with pop-ups, links, ads, and similar content on shady pages. Download applications from trustworthy sources, such as official sites or app stores. Avoid clicking on links or opening attachments in unexpected emails or messages from unknown or doubtful addresses/senders.

Also, protect yourself by using reliable security software, keeping your operating system and apps up to date, and running regular security scans to detect and remove 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 the fake "Ethereal Vote" website (GIF):

The original Ethereal website (ethereal.monster):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Ethereal Vote website?
• 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.

What is a crypto scam?

Crypto scams are fraudulent platforms that often promise high returns, free tokens, or exclusive investment opportunities. The goal is always to deceive victims.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

These scams are usually designed to trick people into giving up their digital assets or personal information.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers promote scam sites using fake or compromised social media profiles, hijacked or deceptive websites, and fraudulent ads or pop-ups. Users can also be lured through misleading emails, rogue notifications, or while browsing torrent, illegal streaming sites, and similar pages that use shady ad networks.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scam sites?

Combo Cleaner helps protect users from online scams by scanning websites for threats, identifying malicious or deceptive content, and blocking access to risky or untrustworthy pages.