How to avoid getting scammed by fake "1inch Airdrop" websites

What is the fake "1inch Airdrop" website?

We discovered this fake "1inch Airdrop" site (protocol-1inch[.]net; potentially, others) while investigating dubious websites. The purpose of this scam page is to deceive users into exposing their digital wallets to a cryptocurrency wallet. It must be emphasized that this bogus airdrop is not associated with the real 1inch platform or any other existing projects and 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 "1inch Airdrop" website overview

We discovered this scam on protocol-1inch[.]net, but it could also be hosted on other domains. This fraudulent webpage closely resembles the official 1inch website (1inch.io). 1inch is a DeFi platform that provides a variety of services, such as swapping tokens across any network, a wallet, a portfolio tracking tool, and others.

It must be stressed that this 1INCH airdrop is fake, and this scam is not associated with the 1inch platform or any other existing projects or entities.

Once a wallet is connected to the scam site – a malicious contract is signed that facilitates the crypto drainer. Assets stored in the wallet are drained through automated outgoing transactions. Some drainers can approximate the worth of digital assets and determine which to steal first. The activity of drainers can appear vague – thus, it can remain unnoticed for a significant amount of time.

It must be mentioned that cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible because of their practically untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "1inch Airdrop" page cannot recover the stolen funds.

Cryptocurrency drainer scam examples

"Earn Sahara Points", "SUNWUKONG Token Hunt", and "$BEAST Token Airdrop" just a few of our newest articles on drainers. Cryptocurrency-specific scams are often competently put together, and some even perfectly copy the design of legitimate websites. Aside from utilizing draining mechanisms, these scams can target wallet log-in credentials or deceive users into manually transferring assets to scammer-owned wallets.

Due to how prevalent scams are on the Web and how well-crafted they can be – we highly recommend vigilance when browsing and investing.

How did I open a scam website?

Cryptocurrency drainers are commonly promoted via intrusive pop-up advertisements. Some of the pop-ups are fully functional drainers themselves; they lure users into "linking" digital wallets by promising unbelievable benefits. It is noteworthy that these ads have been encountered on genuine sites that had been hacked.

Social media spam is another widespread promotional technique. Spam posts and direct/private messages can be made using accounts stolen from real projects, companies, entrepreneurs, celebrities, influencers, and so on. Other methods are not unlikely.

Generally, online scams are endorsed through websites that employ rogue advertising networks, different types of spam (e.g., social media/ forum posts, DMs/PMs, emails, browser notifications, SMSes, robocalls/ cold calls, etc.), malvertising (intrusive adverts), typosquatting (misspelled URLs), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is paramount to online safety. Therefore, be wary of sites, advertisements, and messages that make far-fetched promises or warn of severe threats. Take note of URLs and enter them carefully. Do not use websites offering pirated content or other dubious services (e.g., illegal streaming/downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these webpages typically use rogue advertising networks.

Do not enable suspicious pages to deliver browser notifications; ignore or block their notification requests. Be vigilant with incoming emails and other messages; do not open attachments or links present in suspect/irrelevant communications.

Download only from official/trustworthy channels and be attentive when installing (e.g., study terms and options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, tools, etc.) – to prevent bundled/hazardous software from infiltrating the device.

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 "1inch Airdrop" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official 1inch website (1inch.io):

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:

By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by RCS LT, the parent company of PCRisk.com.

Quick menu:

• What is "1inch 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 Web content. Like all scams, they aim to trick victims into performing specific actions, such as connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, sending money to scammers, disclosing private information, downloading/installing programs, buying products, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue at victims' expense. Cyber criminals predominantly profit by obtaining funds through deception, endorsing content (e.g., sites, software, products, services, etc.), selling/abusing sensitive information, and spreading malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "1inch Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?

Cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed because they are nearly untraceable. Hence, victims of scams like this fake "1inch Airdrop" site cannot recover their assets.

Why do I encounter online scams?

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

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to scan every website you visit for deceptive/malicious content. Should you happen upon such a webpage – Combo Cleaner will immediately warn you and block all further access to the page.