How to avoid getting scammed by fake "Matchain ($MAT)" airdrops

What is the fake "Matchain ($MAT) Airdrop" website?

While browsing untrustworthy sites, we discovered this fake "Matchain ($MAT)" airdrop. This webpage claims to be distributing MAT – the native token of Matchain (matchain.io). The goal is to deceive users into exposing their cryptowallets to a cryptocurrency drainer. It must be stressed that this scam is not associated with the actual Matchain blockchain.

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 "Matchain ($MAT) Airdrop" website overview

We found this scam promoted on airdropmatchain[.]xyz, but it could also be hosted on other domains. This fake page is presented as the Matchain website (matchain.io) running a MAT token airdrop. Matchain is a decentralized blockchain designed for identity management that uses AI (Artificial Intelligence) for user profiling, analytics, and data aggregation.

It must be emphasized that this airdrop is bogus, and this scam is in no way associated with Matchain or any other existing projects, platforms, or entities.

Connecting a digital wallet to the fraudulent page signs a malicious contract. It facilitates the cryptocurrency drainer, a mechanism that can siphon funds from the exposed wallet. This activity comprises automated outgoing transactions. Some drainers can approximate the value of digital assets and prioritize the theft of those with the highest worth.

These transactions may appear vague, so they might remain unnoticed for a long time. It must also be mentioned that due to the nearly untraceable nature of cryptocurrency transactions, they cannot be reversed. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "Matchain ($MAT) Airdrop" webpage cannot recover their assets.

Cryptocurrency drainer scam examples

"$IBVM Airdrop", fake "Uniswap" website, "Nano Ethereum (NanoETH) Staking", and fake "Troll Coin" website merely some of our latest articles on drainers.

Cryptocurrency-specific scams have three primary modes of operation: using draining mechanisms to siphon assets from exposed wallets, phishing for wallet log-in credentials, and deceiving users into manually transferring assets to scammer-owned wallets.

The Internet is rife with deceptive and malicious content. Online scams are often poorly made and full of mistakes, but they can be competently put together and even believably disguised as content associated with legitimate entities. Therefore, we strongly recommend vigilance when browsing and investing online.

How did I open a scam website?

Online scams are most commonly endorsed via spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, social media/ forum posts, browser notifications, SMSes, robocalls/ cold calls, etc.), websites using rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs (typosquatting), intrusive adverts (malvertising), and adware.

Cryptocurrency drainers are often promoted through intrusive pop-up ads. These advertisements can be fully functional drainers, and they may even be encountered on legitimate sites that have been hacked.

Social media spam is also used in crypto scam endorsement. These posts and private/direct messages can be made using accounts stolen from real projects, companies, organizations, influencers, celebrities, and so on.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is essential to ensure your online safety. Therefore, be wary of websites, ads, and messages making promises that sound too good to be true. Take note of URLs and enter them carefully. Do not use websites offering pirated programs/media (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages usually employ rogue advertising networks.

Do not permit suspect pages to deliver browser notifications; instead, ignore or block their requests. Be vigilant with incoming emails and other messages; do not open attachments or links present in dubious/irrelevant mail.

Download from official/verified sources and be attentive when installing (e.g., study terms and options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of additional apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/hazardous software from infiltrating the system.

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 "Matchain ($MAT) Airdrop" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official Matchain website (matchain.io):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is "Matchain ($MAT) Airdrop" 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?

Online scams are a type of deceptive Web content. These scams aim to trick users into performing specific actions, e.g., connecting digital wallets to drainers, making monetary transactions, disclosing sensitive information, downloading/installing programs, purchasing products, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue for scammers. They primarily profit by acquiring funds through deception, promoting content (e.g., websites, software, products, services, etc.), abusing/selling private data, and spreading malware.

I have lost digital assets to the "Matchain ($MAT) Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?

No, cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed because of their practically untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "Matchain ($MAT) Airdrop" site cannot get their money back.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are most commonly promoted via webpages using rogue advertising networks, spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, social media posts, browser notifications, SMSes, calls, etc.), intrusive ads, misspelled URLs, and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites and detect rogue, scam, and malicious pages. It can also block all further access to such sites.