How to avoid scams like the fake "DeFi Protocol Authentication" site

What is "DeFi Protocol Authentication" scam?

Our team has discovered that this is a scam website designed to trick visitors into revealing sensitive information. It is disguised as a DeFi Protocol platform to appear legitimate. Falling for this scam can result in irreversible cryptocurrency theft. Thus, if encountered, this page should be closed.

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 "DeFi Protocol Authentication" platform in detail

The scam site presents itself as a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol that combines blockchain features. It claims to offer non-custodial management, small liquidity pools, fast liquidity, and decentralized governance. It informs the visitor that every step must be completed fully and that the wallet authentication will be finalized through the process it provides.

The page offers users various options, including minting NFTs, claiming rewards (through airdrops), buying and selling cryptocurrencies, and more. Once the supposed service is chosen, it instructs visitors to choose their preferred wallet and "connect" it by providing secret phrases, private keys, or keystore JSON files.

If submitted, this information is immediately sent to scammers who can misuse it to access wallets and empty them. Because blockchain transactions are irreversible, once the scammers move the funds, the victim cannot recover them. The site looks legitimate to make users trust it, but its real purpose is to provide scammers with access to victims' wallets.

It is important to examine crypto platforms before interacting with them to avoid cryptocurrency theft and other potential issues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the site is a fraudulent DeFi platform designed to steal users' cryptocurrency by tricking them into revealing private wallet information. It disguises itself as a legitimate service with features like NFT minting, airdrops, and trading, but its true purpose is to gain full access to wallets.

Users should never share private keys, seed phrases, or keystore files and should always verify the legitimacy of any crypto platform before interacting. Here are some examples of other crypto scams: "Ethena ($ENA) Treasury Pool Scam", "Fidelity Solana Airdrop Scam", and "Ether.fi Treasury Pool Scam".

How did I open a scam website?

Fraudsters promote cryptocurrency (and other) scams through hacked WordPress sites or fake (or stolen) social media accounts on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter/X. They also spread them via phishing emails, adware, and websites that rely on untrustworthy ad networks, which are commonly found on illegal streaming, adult, torrent, and similar sites.

Users may also open fraudulent pages after interacting with deceptive pop-up notifications from deceptive websites or by clicking on misleading ads, buttons, links, or other elements on dubious sites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Avoid granting notification permissions to websites that seem suspicious. Do not click on pop-ups, ads, or other content on questionable pages. Be careful with emails or messages you were not expecting, especially if they ask you to open attachments or click on links. Keep your operating system and applications up to date.

Download programs or apps from trusted sources, like official app stores or the developer's official site. Regularly scan your device using reliable antivirus software. 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 "DeFi Protocol Authentication" scam (GIF):

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Quick menu:

• What is Fraudulent DeFi Protocol Authentication platform?
• 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 platform?

A fake crypto platform is a website or app that pretends to offer legitimate cryptocurrency services, like trading, investing, NFT minting, or staking. These platforms often look professional and copy the design of real exchanges or DeFi services to appear trustworthy.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

Typically, scammers ask users to connect wallets, enter private keys, seed phrases, send payments, or perform other steps. The goal is to steal cryptocurrency.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers often use compromised websites, adware infections, and stolen or fake social media accounts to promote their schemes. They also lure users with phishing emails, deceptive links, fake ads, or push notifications from untrustworthy sites.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner scans websites to identify potentially harmful or suspicious content. It can detect scam pages and alert users, helping to block access before any damage occurs.