How to spot scams like the fraudulent "Sahara Airdrop" portal

Phishing/Scam

Also Known As: Fake Sahara Airdrop

Damage level:

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What is the fake "Sahara Airdrop"?

Our inspection has revealed that this is a scam site (eligibility-humanity[.]org) that promotes a fake cryptocurrency giveaway (airdrop). It is designed to appear like an airdrop held by the official Sahara AI platform (saharaai.com). Falling for this scam can result in sighnifican monetary loss.

Sahara Airdrop scam

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 "Sahara Airdrop" in detail

Sahara AI (saharaai.com) is a decentralized platform that uses blockchain to make AI development open and fair for everyone. It allows people to collaborate, share, and own AI tools and data securely, while ensuring contributors are fairly rewarded. Its goal is to make AI accessible to all users.

The scam website, eligibility-humanity[.]org is disguised as the "Sahara Airdrop Portal". It encourages users to connect their wallets to check their eligibility and claim rewards (supposedly cryptocurrency). However, connecting a wallet activates a malicious tool called a cryptocurrency drainer.

This tool transfers cryptocurrency directly from the victim's wallet to the fraudster's wallet. Because blockchain transactions are permanent and irreversible, any stolen funds are typically lost forever. For this reason, users should never connect their cryptocurrency wallets without examining websites, especially those offering rewards or other benefits.

Threat Summary:
Name Fake Sahara Airdrop
Threat Type Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim Participants can receive rewards
Disguise Legitimate Sahara website
Related Domain eligibility-humanity[.]org
Detection Names (eligibility-humanity[.]org) Fortinet (Phishing), G-Data (Phishing), Seclookup (Malicious), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Symptoms Unofficial domain, lack of official verification, unrealistic claims, too good-to-be-true promises
Distribution methods Fake social media accounts, deceptive websites, rogue online advertisements
Damage Cryptocurrency theft
Malware Removal (Windows)

To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner.

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Similar scams in general

These scams are often designed to appear as trusted platforms to deceive users into connecting their cryptocurrency wallets. Their ultimate goal is to steal cryptocurrency from victims. Users should always verify the legitimacy of websites before connecting wallets, entering personl information, or taking other actions.

Some examples of other scams involving crypto drainers are the fake "Humanity Protocol", "GMGN" and "WhaleAI Blockchain" sites.

How did I open a scam website?

Scam websites designed to trick individuals into launching crypto drainers are commonly delivered using stolen (or fake) accounts on X (Twitter), Facebook, or other platforms, or hijacked WordPress websites. Users can also be lured into scam sites via misleading advertisements, pop-ups, links, buttons, etc., on suspicious pages.

Additionally, online scams are promoted using adware, scam emails, notifications from untrustworthy pages, and sites (e.g., torrent sites and illegal movie streaming platforms) that use rogue advertising networks.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Examine emails before opening provided links or attached files. Do not open them if emails (or other messages) are unexpected, irrelevant, and (or) from unknown senders. Download apps and files from official websites or app stores. Do not allow shady pages to show notifications and avoid interacting with pop-ups, ads, or similar content on such sites.

Regularly update your operating system and installed programs, and use a reliable security tool. 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 "Sahara Airdrop" scam site (GIF):

Appearance of Sahara Airdrop scamThe official Sahara AI website (saharaai.com):

Sahara Airdrop Scam real website (saharaai.com)

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:

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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:

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 crypto airdrop?

A fake crypto airdrop is a scam that deceives users by offering free cryptocurrency tokens or other rewards.

What is the purpose of a fake crypto airdrop?

Scammers set up fake airdrops to trick people into connecting their crypto wallets or sharing private information, so they can steal their cryptocurrency.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scam websites are commonly distributed through deceptive emails, fake or hacked social media profiles, compromised websites, unreliable advertising networks (mainly on torrent or illegal streaming sites), misleading ads, pop-ups, notifications from questionable sites, or adware infections.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner scans websites to spot untrustworthy ones. It identifies scam sites and quickly alerts users, blocking access to keep them safe from possible threats.

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Tomas Meskauskas

Tomas Meskauskas

Expert security researcher, professional malware analyst

I am passionate about computer security and technology. I have an experience of over 10 years working in various companies related to computer technical issue solving and Internet security. I have been working as an author and editor for pcrisk.com since 2010. Follow me on Twitter and LinkedIn to stay informed about the latest online security threats.

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