How to spot fake giveaways like the "USACoin Airdrop"

What is the fake "USACoin Airdrop"?

We have inspected the website (usacoinsol[.]xyz) and concluded that it promotes a fake airdrop. These “airdrops” are typically used to deceive users into believing they will receive free cryptocurrency, while manipulating them into actions that benefit scammers. Falling for such scams can result in financial 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.

"USACoin Airdrop" scam in detail

A crypto airdrop is when cryptocurrency tokens are distributed to users, usually for free, as a promotion. While some airdrops are legitimate, others are designed to deceive unsuspecting individuals, and usacoinsol[.]xyz is one of these fraudulent schemes.

The scam website presents itself as a promotional page advertising an exclusive $USACOIN airdrop. It claims that visitors can receive free cryptocurrency rewards and encourages them to track, participate in, and claim airdrops from blockchain projects within the Solana ecosystem.

The goal is to trick visitors into connecting their wallets. If they do so, the site can activate a cryptocurrency drainer, a malicious tool designed to empty victims' wallets. This drainer can automatically send crypto holdings from the victims' wallets to the ones belonging to fraudsters.

Crypto stolen through scams is almost impossible to recover due to the irreversible nature of blockchain transactions. Unofficial websites, particularly those claiming to offer airdrops or giveaways, should be avoided to prevent financial losses.

Conclusion

In conclusion, usacoinsol[.]xyz is a fraudulent website that exploits the concept of crypto airdrops to steal users' funds. By posing as a legitimate promotional page, it tricks visitors into connecting their wallets, allowing a malicious tool to drain their cryptocurrency. It is essential to recognize and avoid unofficial websites that offer free tokens or giveaways.

Some examples of similar scams used to drain wallets are "OpenChat ($CHAT) Token Airdrop Scam", "HumidiFi Airdrop", and "Xmas Cult (XMAS) Airdrop Scam".

How did I open a scam website?

Crypto-related scams are spread through hacked or fake social media accounts on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter/X, or through compromised WordPress sites. Users can also be lured to these fraudulent websites via notifications from dubious pages and misleading ads, pop-ups, or deceptive buttons on websites of this kind.

Scammers also promote scams using phishing emails and malicious advertising networks. These networks are commonly found on torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, adult websites, and similar sites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Download software and files from official websites or trusted app stores. Keep your operating system and applications up to date, and use reputable security tools to scan your device regularly. Be cautious when interacting with websites that request notification permissions, and avoid clicking on pop-ups, ads, or clickable elements on suspicious or untrustworthy pages.

Do not open links or attachments in emails or messages that seem unexpected, irrelevant, or sent from unknown addresses/senders. 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 "USACoin Airdrop" scam (GIF):

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake USACoin Airdrop?
• 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?

Scam crypto airdrops claim to give away free tokens, but victims receive nothing. These scams can also appear as legitimate trading or similar platforms.

What is the purpose of a crypto airdrop?

Scammers use these fraudulent schemes to steal cryptocurrency by tricking victims into wallet connections, private key disclosure, or asset transfers.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scammers often promote their schemes using adware, misleading ads, pop-ups, or links on untrustworthy sites. They also exploit stolen or fake social media accounts and deceptive emails. Unreliable advertising networks on torrent sites, streaming platforms, or adult websites are also commonly used.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner examines websites for risky or questionable content, detects scam pages, and warns users of any detected threats.