How to identify scams like the fake "Param Gaming" platform

What is the fake "Param Gaming" website"?

Our analysis of the site (paragaming.claim-portal[.]live) has uncovered that it is a deceptive page mimicking the original Param Gaming site (paramgaming.com). The scammers behind the fake website aim to trick visitors into performing steps that could lead to financial loss. Thus, it is important not to interact with the site.

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 "Param Gaming" website overview

Param Gaming (paramgaming.com) is a Web3 gaming platform that offers a modular gaming ecosystem, a native token ($PARAM) used for in-game transactions, staking, rewards, and governance, and digital ownership of assets and decentralized gameplay. The fake website we inspected is paragaming.claim-portal[.]live.

On this website, users are instructed to connect their wallets to join the platform. However, this action is deceptive. Once the wallet is connected, a hidden cryptocurrency drainer is triggered. This drainer moves cryptocurrency from the victim's wallet to the scammer's wallet. Since blockchain transactions cannot be undone, any stolen funds are usually gone for good.

Therefore, it is important to never connect cryptocurrency wallets to untrusted or unfamiliar websites, especially those promising rewards, exclusive access, high returns, etc. Users should always verify the legitimacy of a platform before interacting with it.

Similar scams in general

Scams like this are designed deceive users by imitating legitimate platforms and offering tempting rewards or access. Their real goal is to trick users into connecting their wallets so they can silently drain cryptocurrency. To stay safe, users should always verify websites and avoid interacting with any that seem suspicious.

Some examples of similar scams are the fake "Humanity Protocol", "GMGN" and "WhaleAI Blockchain" sites.

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers often share links to scam sites using hacked or fake social media accounts, or they compromise legitimate websites like WordPress blogs to trick users into opening scam websites. Fraudulent emails with links (or files) are another tool used to promote fraudulent pages.

Scammers also take advantage of shady advertising networks, which are frequently found on torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, adult websites, and similar sites. Users can also encounter scam sites through deceptive pop-ups (e.g., fake system alerts), push notifications from unreliable websites, or ads delivered by adware.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be cautious with emails or messages that seem unexpected or irrelevant or come from unfamiliar sources. Avoid clicking on any links or opening attachments they contain. Stick to downloading apps and software from official websites or trusted app stores. Also, do not trust pop-ups, ads, or links on shady websites.

Additionally, do not allow suspicious sites to send you notifications, keep your system and apps up to date, and use reliable antivirus software to detect and block 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 "Fake Param Gaming" site (GIF):

The original Param Gaming site (paramgaming.com):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Param Gaming 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 where scammers lure victims by promising profits, free tokens, or something else.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

The purpose of a crypto scam is to trick people into giving away their cryptocurrency, personal information, or access to their digital wallets so scammers can steal their funds or data for financial gain.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers promote fraudulent websites through hacked or fake social media accounts, compromised sites, and deceptive emails with malicious links or files. They also use shady ad networks on torrent, streaming, and adult sites, as well as misleading pop-ups, push notifications, and adware-generated ads to lure users into scams.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner scans websites users visit and can identify harmful ones. It detects sites that show scam pop-ups, alerts users, and blocks access to these pages.