How to avoid scams like "Early Spark Adopters Rewards"

What kind of scam is "Early Spark Adopters Rewards"?

We have analyzed the website (sparkrewards[.]finance) and found that it imitates the original Spark site (spark.fi) to deceive users. The site is fraudulent and uses a malicious tool to drain wallets (steal crypto funds). It should not be trusted or accessed, as interacting with it can result in permanent financial losses.

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 "Early Spark Adopters Rewards" website in detail

Spark (spark.fi) is a platform designed to fix common problems in decentralized finance (DeFi), such as scattered liquidity, unpredictable earnings, and unused stablecoin funds across different protocols. Spark operates as an infrastructure for liquidity and yield in the DeFi ecosystem.

It is common for scammers to create fake social media accounts and websites that mimic Spark products or services to steal funds, and sparkrewards[.]finance is one of these fraudulent pages. The fake site promotes an "Early Adopters Rewards Claim". It encourages visitors to verify their wallets to claim their SPK early adopter rewards.

The purpose of this site is to trick visitors into believing that they have to connect their wallets to claim the supposed rewards. In reality, connecting a wallet through the fake website activates a cryptocurrency drainer. This malicious tool can send crypto holdings from the connected wallet to the scammer's wallet.

It is important to note that cryptocurrency cannot be retrieved once it is stolen because blockchain transactions cannot be undone. This makes it crucial to carefully check the legitimacy of any crypto platform before using it. Unofficial websites that seem suspicious and promise free cryptocurrency are usually scams and should be avoided.

Conclusion

This scam involves a fake website that pretends to offer rewards from Spark, tricking users into connecting their cryptocurrency wallets. Doing so allows scammers to steal funds. Users should always verify the legitimacy of crypto platforms and avoid unofficial sites that promise free tokens or rewards.

Some examples of similar scams are "Vanguard ($VWA) Airdrop", "Trust Wallet Security Breach", and "Morphware (XMW) Vote Rewards".

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers use hacked or fake social media accounts, especially on X (Twitter) and Facebook, or compromised websites (often WordPress sites) to promote fake cryptocurrency giveaways and other crypto scams. Users may also come across scams through suspicious links, misleading ads, clickable buttons, other content encountered on untrustworthy sites.

In addition, notifications from unreliable sites, adware, deceptive emails, and rogue ad networks (often found on torrent sites, adult platforms, or illegal streaming services) are commonly used to lure users into visiting scam websites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Be careful when you get emails or messages from people or addresses you do not know, especially if they are unexpected and contain links or files. Use official pages (or app stores) when downloading software or files. Make sure your operating system and all programs have the latest updates, and run regular scans using reliable security tools.

Also, avoid engaging with pop-ups, ads, or links on questionable websites, and never allow them to show 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 "Early Spark Adopters Rewards" pop-up scam (GIF):

The original Spark website (spark.fi):

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 Fake Early Spark Adopters Rewards 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 airdrop?

Fake crypto airdrops pretend to distribute tokens for free but are actually scams designed to deceive users into performing steps that benefit scammers.

What is the purpose of a fake crypto airdrop?

Scammers behind these schemes usually aim to steal cryptocurrency. They may use malware, collect personal data, or employ other tactics to take crypto from victims.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers distribute their schemes using hacked or fake social media profiles, compromised websites, deceptive emails, fake alerts from untrustworthy sites, misleading pop-ups or ads on questionable pages, and rogue ad networks often found on torrent, adult, or illegal streaming platforms.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner spots unsafe and misleading websites, notifies users of potential threats, and blocks access to these sites.