How to spot scams like the fake "Plasma (XPL) Allocation"

What is the fake "Plasma (XPL) Allocation"?

We have determined that claim.piasma[.]app is a fraudulent website pretending to be the official Plasma (plasma.to page). Scammers behind it aim to trick visitors into connecting their wallets, enabling scammers to steal cryptocurrency. Users should not trust sites like claim.piasma[.]app to avoid monetary loss.

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.

"Plasma (XPL) Allocation" scam in detail

Plasma (plasma.to) is a layer 1 blockchain designed for global stablecoin payments. It supports fee-free USD₮ transfers, custom gas tokens, and private transactions. These features make transactions faster, cheaper, and easier for both developers and users, providing a strong foundation for applications that handle money.

Scammers have created a fraudulent website, claim.piasma[.]app, that pretends to be the official Plasma site. The scam site falsely claims to offer an $XPL token allocation as a lure (it offers users to receive free $XPL tokens). However, no actual tokens are provided. The site aims to trick visitors into connecting their wallets.

If users connect their wallets, claim.piasma[.]app can trigger a cryptocurrency drainer. This tool enables scammers to steal crypto funds by transferring them to the scammer's wallet. In most cases, these stolen assets cannot be recovered.

Cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible, meaning once funds are sent to a scammer, they cannot usually be retrieved. For this reason, users should examine crypto platforms, use only official sites, and close fraudulent sites such as claim.piasma[.]app if they get opened.

Conclusion

This scam is an example of fraudulent schemes where scammers impersonate legitimate crypto platforms to trick users into connecting their wallets, ultimately stealing their funds. It shows why it is important to analyse websites (ensure they are legitimate), use only official platforms, and always be careful with cryptocurrency-related sites.

Here are more examples of scams posing as legitimate platforms: "BNB MEME SZN (SZN) Token Distribution", "Qace Dynamics ($QACE) Vote Rewards", and "Just Elizabeth Cat ($ELIZABETH) Airdrop".

How did I open a scam website?

Fraudulent cryptocurrency websites are frequently promoted by scammers through compromised or fake social media accounts (especially on Twitter/X and Facebook) and hacked WordPress pages. Users may also encounter scams via misleading ads, content (links, buttons, ads) on untrustworthy websites, or push notifications from such sites.

Additionally, deceptive emails, adware, and unreliable advertising networks, often present on torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, and similar pages, can be used to trick users into accessing scam websites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be cautious with emails or messages from unknown or unexpected senders, and avoid opening attachments or links from them. Only download programs and files from official websites or reputable app stores, and refrain from clicking on ads, pop-ups, links, or buttons on untrustworthy websites.

Furthermore, do not allow suspicious websites to send notifications. Keep your operating system and software up to date and regularly scan your device with a trusted security tool. Do not allow suspicious websites to send notifications. 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 "Plasma (XPL) Allocation" scam (GIF):

The original Plasma website (plasma.to):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Plasma (XPL) Allocation website?
• 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 giveaway?

A fake crypto giveaway is a fraudulent scheme that claims to distribute free cryptocurrency. It often imitates legitimate platforms to appear authentic and trustworthy.

What is the purpose of a fake crypto giveaway?

A fake crypto giveaway is designed to trick users into taking actions (e.g., sharing private keys, connecting wallets, sending crypto) that enable scammers to steal cryptocurrency.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers often lure users through deceptive ads and unreliable ad networks, which are commonly found on torrent sites and similar platforms. Users may also come across scams via fake or hacked social media accounts, compromised websites, deceptive emails, or notifications from untrustworthy sites.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can identify untrustworthy websites (including scam pages), notify the user, and block access to such sites.