How to spot scams like the fraudulent EstateX Airdrop

What is a fraudulent "EstateX Airdrop"?

We have inspected the site (estatex.w3claim[.]xyz) and determined that it promotes a fraudulent airdrop (a cryptocurrency giveaway). Moreover, the page masquerades as the original ExtateX page (estatex.eu) to trick users into "participating" in the airdrop. The fake site should not be trusted to avoid monetary loss.

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 "EstateX Airdrop" in detail

EstateX (estatex.eu) is a blockchain-based platform that allows users to invest in real estate by purchasing tokenized shares of properties. It offers a full ecosystem for property tokenization, trading, earning rental income, and spending returns through its EstateX Pay feature. The fake website (estatex.w3claim[.]xyz) claims that individuals can participate in an airdrop.

It poses as an official airdrop for ESX tokens and encourages visitors to connect their crypto wallets to claim free tokens and start earning rewards. This tactic is used to trick users into activating a cryptocurrency drainer. This tool is built to quietly transfer cryptocurrency from a victim's wallet to a scammer's address without their knowledge.

Since blockchain transactions are irreversible, stolen funds are typically lost forever. For this reason, it is crucial to stay cautious when using crypto platforms and always verify their legitimacy before connecting a wallet or sharing sensitive details.

Similar scams in general

Cryptocurrency scams involving drainers are commonly hosted on fake websites that promote enticing offers (mostly airdrops) to lure users into connecting their wallets. The purpose of these scams is to steal cryptocurrency. Once the funds are taken, recovery is nearly impossible, leaving victims with permanent losses.

Some examples of similar scams are the fake "Humanity Protocol Airdrop", "Gigabrain Token Airdrop", and "Solana Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

Scam websites that use crypto drainers to steal cryptocurrency are often spread through compromised or fake social media accounts on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, as well as hijacked WordPress sites. Users may also encounter crypto scams via deceptive ads pushed by adware, phishing emails, or shady browser notifications.

Scammers also promote these malicious sites through unreliable advertising networks commonly found on torrent sites, illegal streaming services, and similar platforms. Additionally, misleading pop-ups, fake download buttons, and suspicious links on shady sites can be used to lure users into visiting the scam pages.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Exercise caution with irrelevant, unexpected, or similar emails and messages from unknown sources. Examine such emails before clicking on links or opening attachments. When downloading software, use official websites or reputable app stores. Make sure your operating system and apps are regularly updated, and use trusted security software to help protect your device.

Additionally, avoid giving notification permissions to untrusted websites, and do not interact with advertisements, pop-ups, links, or buttons on websites of this kind. 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 the fake "EstateX Airdrop" site (GIF):

The original EstateX page (estatex.eu):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake EstateX 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 deceptive offer claiming to give away free cryptocurrency but is actually a scam.

What is the purpose of a fake airdrop?

Scammers use this method to deceive people into connecting their wallets, revealing private information, or performing other harmful actions. After engaging with the fake airdrop, users risk having their wallets emptied or their personal data compromised.

Why do I encounter scam sites?

Fraudulent websites tend to be promoted via counterfeit or stolen social media profiles, hacked websites, malicious ads, phishing emails, and untrustworthy notifications. Scammers also exploit questionable advertising networks commonly present on torrent and unauthorized streaming platforms, or use deceptive pop-ups, links, and buttons on suspicious websites.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner scans websites to detect harmful or suspicious pages. When it identifies a scam, the app immediately notifies the user and blocks access to the site, helping prevent any further interaction.