How to recognize scams like the fake RedStone site

What is a fake RedStone website?

Our analysis of claim-redstonefi[.]com revealed that it impersonates the official RedStone website (redstone.finance) to deceive visitors. On this fake site, users are instructed to connect their wallets, which activates a malicious tool capable of stealing cryptocurrency.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We do not review crypto projects, please do your own research when investing money.

Federal Trade Commission (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.

A fake RedStone website in detail

RedStone (redstone.finance) is a decentralized oracle platform designed to provide secure, real-time data feeds for decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts across multiple blockchain networks. RedStone's native utility token, RED, is used for staking, governance, and incentivizing data providers.

The fake website, claim-redstonefi[.]com implies that visitors can claim RED tokens by connecting their wallets. Connecting a wallet while on this site can trigger a cryptocurrency-stealing tool, which automatically moves funds from the user's wallet to the fraudster's.

For this reason, it is critical to be cautious with platforms that seem unofficial, unverified, or suspicious, especially when they promise free tokens, rewards, or other incentives.

Interacting with such sites can put users at serious risk, including financial loss and the theft of personal or account information.

Online scams in general

Fake sites (posing as legitimate ones) often claim to offer airdrops or token rewards to lure users into connecting their wallets, leading to permanent financial loss. For these reasons, users should always confirm a platform's authenticity and avoid interacting with suspicious websites.

Here are more examples of fraudulent sites designed to steal crypto: "Foxy Airdrop", "Bio Protocol ($BIO) Airdrop", and "$SALARY Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers direct users to malicious websites that employ cryptocurrency-stealing tools using hacked or fake social media accounts, especially on Twitter/X and Facebook, or compromised WordPress sites. Fraudulent emails and notifications from untrustworthy websites can also lead users to these scam pages.

Malicious advertising networks are another common method, frequently appearing on torrent sites, adult platforms, illegal streaming services, and similar pages. Additionally, adware, as well as via misleading links and buttons on suspicious websites, is used to promote scams.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be cautious with unexpected emails or messages, and never open links or attachments from unknown or suspicious sources. Use reputable security software and run regular scans to detect and remove threats. Avoid interacting with ads or links on untrustworthy websites, and do not allow such sites to send notifications.

Download programs, apps, and files only from official websites or trusted app stores, and keep your operating system and applications up to date. 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 a fake RedStone website (GIF):

The original site (redstone.finance):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fraudulent RedStone page?
• 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?

Fake cryptocurrency airdrops are scams in which attackers impersonate well-known exchanges, companies, or celebrities to lure users with promises of free crypto.

What is the purpose of a fake crypto giveaway?

The goal is usually to trick users into connecting their wallets or taking other risky actions, and then stealing their cryptocurrency.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Fraudulent websites are frequently spread through deceptive emails, pop-ups, misleading ads, suspicious links, or notifications from untrustworthy sites. Scammers also promote scams using hacked or fake social media accounts, compromised websites, and rogue advertising networks, which are often found on torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, and similar sources.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner monitors pages and detects potentially dangerous or scam sites. When a threat is identified, it alerts the user and automatically blocks access.