How to identify scams like the fake "Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO) Reward" platform

What is "Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO) Reward" scam?

We have inspected the website (flare-mainnetapp-portal[.]com) and found that it mimics the official Flare site (flare.network) to trick users into taking harmful actions. This site's purpose is to steal personal information from unsuspecting individuals, and falling for this scam can lead to monetary loss.

"Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO) Reward" scam in detail

Flare (flare.network) is a Layer-1 blockchain designed to enable secure and decentralized access to real-world and cross-chain data for smart contracts. It allows assets that lack native smart contract functionality, such as XRP and DOGE, to be used within decentralized applications.

The fake site has a similar design to appear legitimate. However, it is created for malicious purposes. Fraudsters behind this page aim to trick users into disclosing their secret phrases, keystores, or private keys. Once this information is submitted, the attackers can gain access to the victim's cryptocurrency wallet and steal any stored funds.

Due to the irreversible nature of blockchain transactions, it is typically impossible to recover the funds after cryptocurrency is stolen. Thus, users should always check if websites are legitimate before entering personal information or taking other actions.

Similar scams in general

These scams often mimic legitimate crypto platforms to trick users into entering sensitive information like seed phrases or private keys. Once entered, attacker can steal all funds, which are typically unrecoverable. Users should always verify URLs, avoid sharing secret keys, and only interact with trusted platforms.

More examples of similar scams are "Shiba Airdrop Scam", "SyncAppFix Scam", and "$SHADOW Presale Scam".

How did I open a scam website?

Scam websites can be reached through misleading ads, pop-ups, fake buttons, and suspicious links on untrustworthy sites. They may also be promoted via rogue advertising networks often found on torrent sites, adult content pages, or illegal streaming platforms. Scammers might also use fake or stolen social media (e.g., Facebook or X/Twitter) accounts.

In other cases, scams are promoted using deceptive email messages and push notifications from shady websites, as well as adware. Overall, fraudsters use various tactics to lure users.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be wary of unexpected and irrelevant emails or other messages from unknown senders—do not open attachments or follow links unless you are sure they are safe. Avoid clicking on notifications, pop-ups, ads, or links while visiting suspicious pages. Keep your operating system and all installed applications up to date.

Do not allow dubious pages to send you notifications. Regularly scan your device with a reliable antivirus or security tool to detect and remove 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 "Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO) Reward" scam (GIF):

The official Flare website (flare.network):

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Flare Time Series Oracle (FTSO) Reward 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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a crypto scam?

A crypto scam is a deceptive scheme related to cryptocurrencies that uses fake websites, false offers, or misleading information to trick people.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

In most cases, these scams are used to steal sensitive information and (or) cryptocurrency from unsuspecting individuals.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scam websites are often accessed through misleading ads, pop-ups, fake buttons, suspicious links, and rogue advertising networks on sites like torrent or adult content platforms. They can also be promoted via fake or stolen social media accounts, deceptive emails, push notifications, and adware. Fraudsters use a wide range of tactics to lure and trick users.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me scams?

Combo Cleaner scans every website you visit and detects malicious ones, including those that host scams. It immediately warns users and can block access to these harmful sites to keep them safe.