How to spot fraudulent sites like "FUEL Points Program"

Phishing/Scam

Also Known As: Fake FUEL Points Program

Damage level:

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What is the fraudulent "FUEL Points Program"?

We have reviewed fuel-io.pages[.]dev and found that it is a fake website mimicking the original Fuel site (fuel.network). Scammers behind the fraudulent page aim to deceive individuals into launching a malicious tool that can steal their cryptocurrency. It is highly advisable to avoid sites like this one.

FUEL Points Program 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 "FUEL Points Program" in detail

Fuel (fuel.network) is an operating system specifically created for Ethereum Rollups, which are solutions that help Ethereum process more transactions quickly and cheaply. Fuel enables rollups to run multiple transactions simultaneously, keep the amount of data they need to manage to a minimum, and work smoothly with other systems.

The fake website, fuel-io.pages[.]dev, promises users the chance to become early contributors to the Fuel network and earn rewards by participating in the Fuel Points Program. It encourages users to join and start earning points by connecting their wallets. However, doing so executes a cryptocurrency drainer.

This tool can move cryptocurrency from the connected wallet directly to the scammer's wallet. Because blockchain transactions are irreversible, recovering stolen crypto is difficult, if not impossible. Overall, falling victim to this crypto scam can cause significant financial harm.

Therefore, users should always verify the authenticity of any cryptocurrency platform to protect themselves from financial losses and other risks.

Threat Summary:
Name Fake FUEL Points Program
Threat Type Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim Users can earn rewards by participating in the Fuel Points Program
Disguise Legitimate Fuel platform
Related Domain fuel-io.pages[.]dev
Detection Names (fuel-io.pages[.]dev) N/A (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)

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Similar scams in general

In most cases, fraudsters behind these scams use fake airdrops or similar offers to trick users into actions that result in their crypto being stolen. Because crypto transactions are irreversible, lost funds are usually gone for good. To avod this, users should thoroughly check any crypto platform before connecting their wallets or taking other steps.

Examples of similar scams are the fake "Telcoin ($TEL) Rewards", "Claim $PSYOP", and "T3rn ($TRN) Airdrop" websites.

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers often use fake or hacked X (Twitter), Facebook, or other social media accounts, or stolen WordPress websites to promote crypto drainer scams. Scam sites can also be encountered through misleading advertisements, fake pop-ups, misleading links, and similar content on unreliable sites or notifications from such pages.

In addition, users might land on scam websites through adware, fraudulent emails, or shady advertising networks often tied to torrenting, adult content, or illegal streaming platforms.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be careful with emails or messages that seem random, unexpected, or irrelevant, and do not click on any links or open attachments they contain. Do not allow notifications from sketchy websites, and avoid clicking on ads, pop-ups, or anything suspicious on unreliable sites.

Make sure your operating system and apps are always up to date, and use reliable antivirus software to check your device regularly. Download programs from official websites or trusted app stores. 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 "FUEL Points Program" (GIF):

Appearance of FUEL Points Program scam

The original Fuel site (fuel.network):

FUEL Points Program Scam real website (fuel.network)

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 giveaway?

This scam tricks users by offering free cryptocurrency or rewards, luring them into engaging with a malicious website and performing actions that ultimately benefit the scammers.

What is the purpose of a fake giveway?

The goal of these scams is to drain victims' cryptocurrency holdings or steal personal information allowing scammers to access wallets.

Why do I encounter scam sites?

Scammers often promote their schemes through fake or compromised social media accounts, misleading advertisements, torrent sites, illegal streaming services, or adult platforms, as well as other sites that use untrustworthy advertising networks or deceptive emails or ads generated by adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner scans websites for suspicious behavior. If it detects a malicious or scam site, it promptly warns the user and prevents access to the page.

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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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