How to spot scams like the fake "Almanak Staking Launch" site

What is "Almanak Staking Launch" website?

Our analysis has revealed that event-almanak[.]xyz is a deceptive website masquerading as the Almanak site (almanak.co) and designed to trick visitors into taking actions leading to the theft of their cryptocurrency. This fraudulent site should not be trusted to avoid the associated risks.

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 "Almanak Staking Launch" platform in detail

Almanak (almanak.co) is a web3 platform focused on DeFi (decentralized finance) automation and optimization. It uses AI‑driven autonomous agents to help users build, test, optimize, and deploy trading and investment strategies across multiple blockchain protocols. The scam website, event-almanak[.]xyz, is not associated with the original platform.

The fake website presents itself as a staking platform, claiming to offer users the opportunity to earn high weekly returns, participate in community governance, and join exclusive "Alpha Quests". It encourages visitors to connect their cryptocurrency wallets to begin earning rewards.

However, there are no real rewards and connecting a wallet results in activating a cryptocurrency drainer. This drainer is designed to automatically empty wallets by transferring all cryptocurrency from the victim's wallet to the scammer's. These losses are typically irreversible because blockchain transactions cannot be undone.

For this reason, caution is essential when dealing with websites that promise free cryptocurrency in exchange for wallet access, personal information, or any type of transaction. It is essential to verify a site's legitimacy before engaging with it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, event-almanak[.]xyz is a fraudulent website impersonating the Almanak platform to steal cryptocurrency. It lures users with promises of high rewards and staking opportunities, but connecting a wallet results in immediate and irreversible loss of funds. Examples of similar scams are "Unlock Solana Event", "VOOI Airdrop Scam", and "Brevis Snapshot Scam".

How did I open a scam website?

Pretty often, scammers behind crypto-related scams exploit hacked WordPress sites or fake (or stolen) social media accounts on platforms like Facebook and X (Twitter) to reach potential victims. Additionally, users can be tricked into visiting scam sites through fake buttons, pop-ups, ads, and links on untrustworthy websites.

Moreover, unsafe sites can be opened after users click on malicious links in emails, interact with suspicious notifications from dubious sites, or click on ads delivered by adware. Fraudulent content is also distributed through unreliable advertising networks, which are commonly found on torrent sites, illegal streaming platforms, and similar pages.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Users should be careful when receiving emails or messages from unknown or unexpected sources, avoiding any links or attachments that seem suspicious. Pop-ups, ads, and interactive elements on untrustworthy websites should be ignored. Additionally, it is advisable not to grant permission to dubious pages to display notifications.

All software should be downloaded only from official websites or trusted app stores. It is also important to keep the operating system and applications up to date and to run regular scans with reliable security 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 "Almanak Staking Launch" scam site (GIF):

The original Almanak website (almanak.co):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Almanak Staking Launch 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 crypto scam?

A crypto scam typically presents itself as a legitimate platform, investment opportunity, airdrop, or trading service. It uses fake websites, ads, or messages to persuade users into taking harmful actions.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

Scammers behind such scams seek to steal cryptocurrency. They attempt to trick users into disclosing personal information (details required to access wallets), activating crypto drainers, sending cryptocurrency, or taking other actions.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Crypto scams often spread through hacked websites, fake or stolen social media accounts, and untrustworthy sites featuring fake buttons, pop-ups, ads, or links. Users can also be directed to unsafe pages via malicious email links, suspicious notifications, or adware. Rogue advertising networks (often found on torrent and illegal streaming sites) can also expose users to scams.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner examines websites for threats, identifies scams, and warns users about potential threats.