How to spot scams like the fake "Humanity Protocol Airdrop"

What is the fake "Humanity Protocol Airdrop"?

We have examined the site (elicpse[.]xyz) and found that it is a fraudulent copy of the Humanity Protocol site (humanity.org). The fake site is designed to deceive users into connecting their cryptocurrency wallets, giving scammers the opportunity to steal funds. Identifying and avoiding such fake crypto platforms is crucial to protecting assets.

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 "Humanity Protocol Airdrop" in detail

Humanity Protocol (humanity.org) is a blockchain designed to prevent fake or duplicate identities (Sybil attacks) and ensure secure and private identity verification. It uses a network of participants called zkProofers, who confirm that users are real people using a technology that verifies information without revealing the actual data.

These zkProofers earn rewards in the platform's native token, $H. The fake platform (elicpse[.]xyz) is designed to trick users into believing that they can claim $H tokens by participating in an airdrop (a cryptocurrency giveaway). Its purpose is to lure users into connecting their wallets.

Once a wallet is connected, a cryptocurrency drainer is triggered. This is a malicious tool that enables scammers to steal funds from the victim's wallet by transferring the victim's cryptocurrency to the scammer's address. Since blockchain transactions are generally irreversible, recovering the stolen assets is nearly impossible.

For this reason, it is essential to stay cautious when using crypto platforms and verify their legitimacy before connecting wallets or sharing sensitive information.

Conclusion

Cryptocurrency scams are becoming more advanced, often using fake websites and deceptive offers to trick users into connecting their wallets. These scams often involve malicious tools like crypto drainers that can quickly steal funds. Typically, victims of such scams lose cryptocurency without the possiblity to retrieve it.

Some examples of similar scams are the fake Plasma (XPL) page, "Gigabrain Token Airdrop", fake "Humanity Protocol".

How did I open a scam website?

Scam websites designed to steal cryptocurrency using crypto drainers are commonly distributed through hacked or fake social media profiles on platforms like X (Twitter) and Facebook, along with stolen WordPress sites. These sites may also be accessed through ads displayed by adware, fake emails, or push notifications from untrustworthy pages.

In addition, scammers often rely on shady advertising networks found on torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, and similar websites. Misleading ads, pop-ups, fake download buttons, or suspicious links on dubious pages can also lead to scam sites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be cautious when handling emails or other messages: always verify the sender before clicking links or opening attachments, especially if the message is unexpected or seems unrelated. Use official websites or trusted app stores when downloading software. Keep your operating system and software up to date, and use reliable security tools to help safeguard your device.

Also, avoid granting notification permissions to questionable websites, and do not interact with pop-ups, ads, or interactive elements on suspicious pages. 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 "Humanity Protocol Airdrop" scam (GIF):

The original Humanity Protocol site (humanity.org):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Humanity Protocol Airdrop?
• 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 fake crypto airdrop?

It is a scam (a fake giveaway) that pretends to offer free cryptocurrency to users.

What is the purpose of a fake airdrop?

Scammers use this tactic to trick people into connecting their wallets, sharing private information, or taking other actions. Once a user interacts with the fake airdrop, their wallet may be drained of funds or their data may be stolen.

Why do I encounter scam sites?

Scam websites are often spread through fake social media accounts, compromised sites, adware, phishing emails, and unreliable notifications. Scammers also use shady ad networks (often found on torrent and illegal streaming sites) and misleading pop-ups, links, or buttons on shady sites.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner monitors websites and can identify harmful or suspicious pages. If a scam is detected, the app instantly alerts the user and blocks the site to prevent further interaction.