How to avoid getting scammed by fake "Yala NFT Giveaway" sites

What is the fake "Yala NFT Giveaway" website?

Our research team found this fake "Yala NFT Giveaway" site while browsing suspicious sites. This webpage operates as a cryptocurrency drainer – by stealing funds from exposed cryptowallets. It must be emphasized that this scam is not associated with the actual Yala DeFi protocol website (yala.org).

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 "Yala NFT Giveaway" website overview

We discovered this scam on claimnft-yala[.]org, yet it could also be endorsed on other domains. Supposedly, this page is running a free NFT (Non-Fungible Token) giveaway. It must be reiterated that this giveaway is fake and in no way associated with the real Yala (yala.org) – a DeFi (Decentralized Finance) protocol that uses a Bitcoin-backed stablecoin (YU).

Connecting a digital wallet to the fraudulent page signs a malicious contract that activates the cryptocurrency drainer. Basically, the victim's funds are transferred to a cryptowallet in the scammer's possession through automated transactions. Drainers may have the ability to approximate the worth of digital assets and prioritize stealing those with the highest value.

These transactions may appear vague, so they can remain unnoticed for a significant amount of time. What is more, since cryptocurrency transactions are practically untraceable, victims of scams like this fake "Yala NFT Giveaway" website cannot get their funds back.

Cryptocurrency drainer scam examples

We have written about countless crypto scams; "Noice Rewards", "Axelrod Rewards", and "Mamo Rewards" are merely a few of our newest articles on drainers.

Scams that target cryptocurrency tend to do so in one of three ways – using draining mechanisms to siphon assets from wallets, phishing for wallet log-in credentials, or tricking users into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets.

Due to how prevalent scams are on the Web and how well-made they can be – we highly recommend vigilance when browsing and investing online.

How did I open a scam website?

Crypto scams are often promoted through intrusive pop-up advertisements (malvertising). Some of these pop-ups are fully functional drainers themselves; they entice users into linking digital wallets by promising incredible benefits. It is noteworthy that such ads have been encountered on legitimate websites that had been hacked.

Social media spam is also commonly used to endorse cryptocurrency-targeting scams. These posts and direct/private messages can be made using accounts stolen from real projects, companies, organizations, entrepreneurs, celebrities, influencers, etc.

Other promotional techniques are not unlikely. Aside from those already mentioned, online scams are endorsed via webpages using rogue advertising networks, different types of spam (e.g., emails, browser notifications, forum posts, cold calls/ robocalls, SMSes, etc.), misspelled URLs (typosquatting), and adware.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Vigilance and caution are critical to ensuring online safety. Therefore, be wary of websites, adverts, and messages that make unbelievable promises or warn about severe threats. Take note of URLs and enter them carefully.

Do not use sites offering pirated content or other dubious services (e.g., illegal streaming/downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these pages are usually monetized through rogue advertising networks. Do not permit suspect webpages to deliver browser notifications; ignore or block their notification requests.

Do not open attachments or links found in questionable/irrelevant emails and other messages. Download only from official/verified sources and be attentive when installing (e.g., read terms, explore options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of supplementary apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/harmful software (like adware) from infiltrating the device.

If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.

Appearance of the fake "Yala NFT Giveaway" website (GIF):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is "Yala NFT Giveaway" crypto drainer?
• 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 an online scam?

An online scam is a type of deceptive content promoted on the Web. These scams are designed to trick users into performing certain actions, e.g., connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, sending money to scammers, disclosing sensitive data, downloading/installing programs, buying products, subscribing to services, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

The purpose of online scams is to generate revenue for scammers. They may profit by acquiring funds through deception, promoting content, abusing/selling private information, proliferating malware, or through other means.

I have lost digital assets to the "Yala NFT Giveaway" scam, can I get my money back?

Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible due to their nearly untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "Yala NFT Giveaway" page cannot recover the stolen funds.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are primarily encountered via intrusive ads, websites utilizing rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., emails, SMSes, calls, browser notifications, social media posts, DMs/PMs, etc.), misspelled URLs, and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan every website that you access for deceptive/malicious content. Hence, should you happen upon such a webpage – you will be immediately warned, and further access to it will be blocked.