How to identify fake scams like the fake "Tectum Airdrop"

What is a fake "Tectum Airdrop"?

We have inspected the website (claim-tectum[.]org) and found that it is a fraudulent copy of the original Tectum site, tectum.io. The fraudulent page copies the original's appearance to trick users into wallet access. Falling for this scam can result in significant monetary loss. Thus, this website should be avoided and ignored.

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.

"Tectum Airdrop" scam in detail

Tectum (tectum.io) is a Layer‑1 blockchain that claims to process over 3.5 million transactions per second, making it one of the fastest blockchain networks. Its ecosystem includes products like SoftNote, a "transactionless" payments system. Tectum also supports smart contracts and decentralized applications.

The fake site (claim-tectum[.]org) claims that the Tectum airdrop is live and encourages visitors to connect their wallets to claim $TCT. Basically, this scam page uses a bogus cryptocurrency giveaway as a lure. If visitors connect their wallets, they risk losing their cryptocurrency holdings.

Once a wallet is connected, the page can activate a cryptocurrency drainer. The purpose of this tool is to move the user's crypto assets into a wallet controlled by the attackers. Because blockchain transactions are irreversible, any stolen funds are typically gone permanently. For this reason, users should always verify the legitimacy of a website before connecting a wallet or performing other actions.

Conclusion

The fake site promoting a Tectum airdrop is a cryptocurrency scam designed to steal assets. By tricking users into connecting their wallets, it can activate a tool that drains wallets. Since blockchain transactions cannot be reversed, any stolen funds are usually lost permanently.

There are numerous examples of similar scams. Some of them are "Fake HyperUnit Website", "Solana (SOL) Multiplier Scam", and "$energy Airdrop Scam".

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers often use compromised WordPress sites to host their content. Scams used to steal cryptocurrency also spread through social media accounts (often on X/Twitter or Facebook), using fake or stolen accounts. Fake emails, deceptive pop-ups, bogus alerts, and misleading buttons, links, or ads on unsafe websites can also be used to promote scams.

Additionally, visiting sites that use shady ad networks can redirect users to scam pages. These ad networks commonly appear on torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, adult websites, and other similar websites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Keep your operating system and all installed software up to date. Utilize reputable antivirus tools and conduct regular system scans to detect potential threats. Be careful with unexpected or irrelevant emails and messages, especially those containing attachments or links, and avoid opening their contents.

Download software only from reliable sources such as official websites or trusted app stores. Avoid clicking on ads, pop-ups, or other elements on questionable websites, and always block notification requests from websites that appear untrustworthy. 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 "Tectum Airdrop" scam (GIF):

The original Tectum website (tectum.io):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Tectum 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?

A fraudulent crypto airdrop pretends to distribute free cryptocurrency, usually asking users to connect their wallets or follow other instructions. No actual coins are ever given.

What is the purpose of a crypto airdrop?

The objective of these scams is typically to steal cryptocurrency, often by convincing users to connect their wallets, share private keys, or send funds.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers distribute scams through compromised websites, social media accounts, fake emails, pop-ups, and misleading ads or links. Visiting sites with untrustworthy ad networks, such as torrent, streaming, or adult sites, can also redirect users to scam pages.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner checks websites for suspicious or dangerous content, identifying scam pages and preventing users from accessing malicious web pages.