How to identify fake "ApeX Protocol ($APEX) Vote Reward" sites

What is the fake "ApeX Protocol ($APEX) Vote Reward" website?

Our researchers found this fake "ApeX Protocol ($APEX) Vote Reward" webpage during a routine inspection. It promises rewards to APEX token holders who vote in a poll within the first 24 hours. The goal is to lure victims into exposing their digital wallets to a crypto drainer. It must be emphasized that this scam is not associated with the actual ApeX Protocol.

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 "ApeX Protocol ($APEX) Vote Reward" website overview

We discovered this scam on proposal-apex[.]com, yet it could also be hosted on different domains. This webpage is a close visual copy of ApeX Protocol's official site (apex.exchange). ApeX Protocol is a platform that operates as a Decentralized Exchange (DEX) and cryptocurrency derivatives trader.

The scam page claims that APEX (the platform's native token) holders can vote on the following rewards date in a poll. Voters who cast their vote within the first 24 hours will receive an early token reward.

It must be stressed that these claims are false, and this scam is in no way associated with the real ApeX Protocol or any other existing projects, platforms, or entities.

Pressing the "Vote Now" button prompts the user to select and connect their cryptowallet. Doing so signs a malicious contract that facilitates the cryptocurrency drainer – a mechanism capable of stealing digital assets from exposed wallets. Some drainers can approximate the value of assets and determine which to prioritize stealing.

Furthermore, these outgoing transactions are automated and may appear vague, so they might remain unnoticed for a long time. What is more, cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed because of their practically untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of scams like this fake "ApeX Protocol ($APEX) Vote Reward" website cannot retrieve the stolen funds.

Cryptocurrency drainer scam examples

"UPTOBER Airdrop", fake "Solana Sniper" website, "Solana Mystery Box Reward", "Ledger Security Check", and "$Priceless Treasury Allocation" are merely some of our latest articles on drainers.

Crypto scams typically operate in one of three ways: using draining mechanisms, phishing for wallet log-in credentials, and tricking victims into manually transferring funds to scammer-owned wallets. Commonly used lures include: rewards/airdrops, pre-sale events, doubled/tripled investment returns, account/wallet issues, security concerns, and so forth.

Due to how prevalent scams are on the Web and how well-made they can be – we strongly recommend exercising caution when browsing and investing online.

How did I open a scam website?

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

It is pertinent to mention that crypto drainers are often promoted through intrusive pop-up advertisements, which might be capable of executing draining scripts themselves. These pop-ups may even be encountered on legitimate sites that have been compromised.

Additionally, crypto scams are heavily pushed via social media spam. We have found many instances of this on the X (more commonly referred to by its former name – Twitter) social media platform. Promotional posts and private/direct messages can be made using hacked accounts (i.e., ones originally belonging to real celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, projects, organizations, etc.).

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

Caution is essential to your online safety. Therefore, be wary of websites, adverts, and messages making promises that sound too good to be true. Take note of URLs and be vigilant when typing them. Do not use sites offering pirated content or other dubious services (e.g., illegal streaming/downloading, Torrenting, etc.), as these webpages usually employ rogue advertising networks.

Do not enable questionable websites to display browser notifications (i.e., ignore or block their requests). Be careful with incoming emails and other messages; do not open attachments or links found in suspicious/irrelevant communications.

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

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 "ApeX Protocol ($APEX) Vote Reward" website (GIF):

Screenshot of the official ApeX Protocol website (apex.exchange):

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:

By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by RCS LT, the parent company of PCRisk.com.

Quick menu:

• What is "ApeX Protocol ($APEX) Vote Reward" 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 Web content that aims to trick users into performing specific actions. For example, victims can be enticed into connecting cryptowallets to cryptocurrency drainers, making monetary transactions, providing sensitive information, downloading/installing software, purchasing products, subscribing to services, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue at their victims' expense. Cyber criminals predominantly profit by obtaining funds through deception, promoting content, abusing/selling private data, and proliferating malware.

I have lost digital assets to a fake "ApeX Protocol ($APEX) Vote Reward" website, can I get my money back?

No, cryptocurrency transactions cannot be reversed because of their practically untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of such scams cannot recover their digital assets.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are primarily encountered via spam (e.g., social media posts, PMs/DMs, emails, browser notifications, SMSes, calls, etc.), sites using rogue advertising networks, intrusive adverts, mistyped URLs, and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites for deceptive and malicious content. Additionally, it can deny further access to such webpages.