How to recognize scams like the fake "Memes Protocol ($MEMES) Airdrop"

What is the fake "Memes Protocol ($MEMES) Airdrop"?

Our team has examined the page (memesprotocol[.]net) and found that it runs a crypto scam. It imitates the original Memes Protocol platform (memesprotocol.xyz) to deceive visitors into taking actions that allow scammers to steal their cryptocurrency. This deceptive site should not be trusted.

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.

"Memes Protocol ($MEMES) Airdrop" scam in detail

Memes Protocol (memesprotocol.xyz) is an AI-driven framework where agents check the internet for popular memes and viral content, and make new memes or interact with trending ones. The platform's token is $MEMES. The fake site claims that individuals can claim these tokens.

On the fake page, visitors are offered the opportunity to participate in an airdrop (a giveaway) by connecting their wallets. If users interact with the fake page (connect their wallets), it can trigger a malicious tool known as a crypto drainer. This drainer automatically takes cryptocurrency from the user's wallet and sends it to the scammer.

Because blockchain transactions are irreversible, stolen funds cannot be recovered. This means victims typically lose their money permanently. Thus, it is important to be careful when visiting websites promoting crypto airdrops or offering other incentives to avoid monetary loss or other harm.

Similar scams in general

Usually, these scams impersonate legitimate cryptocurrency platforms to trick users into connecting their wallets. Their purpose is to lure users into running malicious tools (crypto drainers) that can steal their funds, which are typically unrecoverable.

Examples of similar scams are the fraudulent "BlockStreet ($BLOCK) Distribution", "Uranus Airdrop", "World Liberty Financial Airdrop" pages.

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers often trick users into opening sites hosting crypto drainer schemes using fake or compromised social media accounts, including Twitter/X and Facebook, and hacked WordPress websites. Rogue advertising networks are also used to direct users to scam pages, typically appearing on sites that host torrents, adult content, or offer illegal streaming services.

Users may also come across fraudulent websites through notifications from untrustworthy sites, misleading ads (including ads injected by adware), deceptive links, or fraudulent emails.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be cautious with emails or messages from unknown senders, and never open attachments or click links in unexpected or irrelevant messages. Always download software and files from official websites or trusted app stores. Avoid interacting with pop-ups, ads, buttons, or links on suspicious websites.

Do not permit questionable sites to send you notifications. Keep your operating system and applications up to date, and regularly scan your device using reliable security software. 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 "Memes Protocol ($MEMES) Airdrop" scam (GIF):

The original Memes Protocol site (memesprotocol.xyz):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Memes Protocol ($MEMES) giveaway?
• 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 airdrop?

A fake airdrop is a scam that pretends to give free cryptocurrency to users. Scammers usually claim that users can receive tokens by taking certain steps (e.g., connecting their wallets).

What is the purpose of a fake airdrop?

Scammers mainly try to get individuals to share their private keys or connect their crypto wallets. Once scammers can access wallets, they can drain them (steal cryptocurrency).

Why do I encounter scams?

Users are typically lured into visiting scam websites through phishing emails, fake social media accounts, or compromised websites. These sites can also be accessed via malicious ad networks, deceptive pop-ups, adware, or push notifications from untrustworthy pages.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner protects users by detecting dangerous or scam websites, alerting them, and blocking access to these untrustworthy pages.