How to identify scams like the fake "Microbiome DAO Airdrop"

What is the fake "Microbiome DAO Airdrop"?

Our team has reviewed the page (microbiodao[.]com) and found that it is designed to trick visitors into "participating" in a fake airdrop (a cryptocurrency giveaway). Moreover, the site mimics the original Microbiome DAO platform (microbiomedao.com). Its purpose is to drain crypto wallets.

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.

Fake "Microbiome DAO Airdrop" in detail

Microbiome DAO (microbiomedao.com) is an initiative aimed at establishing the world's first decentralized microbiome economy. It seeks to advance microbiome science by creating a community-driven ecosystem in which individuals have ownership of their health data, receive rewards for participation, and are given a direct role in influencing the development of biotechnology.

The fake website (microbiodao[.]com) promotes an airdrop. It implies that participants can receive $BIOME tokens by connecting their wallets. In reality, when a user connects their wallet to this site, it triggers a malicious tool (a crypto drainer)that can automatically steal cryptocurrency by sending it to the fraudster's wallet.

Because blockchain transactions are permanent, any stolen funds are usually impossible to recover. This type of scam underscores the need to be extremely careful with crypto platforms. Always research a platform thoroughly before connecting your wallet or interacting with it in any way.

Conclusion

The fake Microbiome DAO site (microbiodao[.]com) is a crypto scam that uses a malicious tool to steal funds. Since blockchain transactions are irreversible, any stolen cryptocurrency is usually lost, highlighting the importance of thoroughly researching crypto-related platforms.

Some examples of similar scams are "Fake Monero Website", "Aethir ($ATH) Rewards", and "Aave Voting Rewards".

How did I open a scam website?

Crypto scams are often spread through hacked or fake social media profiles, especially on X/Twitter, as well as through compromised WordPress websites. Cybercriminals also send deceptive emails designed to lure users into visiting fraudulent sites (these emails contain misleading links or files).

In addition, harmful advertising networks, used by torrent pages, pirated streaming services, adult websites, and similar ones, can redirect users to scam pages. Other tactics include adware-injected ads, push notifications from shady websites, and misleading links, ads, or pop-ups on suspicious web pages.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be attentive when receiving unsolicited emails or messages, especially those from unknown senders, and avoid clicking on their links or attachments. Refrain from interacting with ads or links on untrustworthy sites, and never grant such sites permission to send notifications. Download software only from official pages (or app stores).

In addition, keep your system protected by running trusted security software and ensuring your operating system and applications always have the latest updates. 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 "Microbiome DAO Airdrop" scam (GIF):

The original Microbiome DAO website (microbiomedao.com):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Microbiome DAO 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 crypto airdrop?

These are often scams that imitate real exchanges or platforms, tricking users into actions that benefit the scammers.

What is the purpose of a fake crypto giveaway?

The aim is to trick users into connecting wallets, sending funds, or revealing information - most often to steal crypto.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers promote scam sites via deceptive emails, false ads, and notifications from unreliable sources. They also exploit hacked or fake social media profiles, compromised websites, and use malicious ad networks, which are frequently tied to torrent pages, pirated streaming sites, adult platforms, and other unsafe sites.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

The software monitors websites for scams or malicious content, warning the user and preventing access when risks are detected.