How to spot scams like "Audius ($AUDIO) Airdrop"

What is the fake "Audius ($AUDIO) Airdrop"?

Our team has analysed the website (audius-eligibility[.]com) and learned that it masquerades as the original Audius (audius.co) site. The fake page is created by scammers who seek to trick individuals into completing steps that allow fraudsters to commit cryptocurrency theft. Users should avoid interacting with it to prevent 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.

"Audius ($AUDIO) Airdrop" scam in detail

Audius (audius.co) is a decentralized music streaming and sharing platform built using blockchain technology. It allows artists to upload and distribute their music directly to fans without intermediaries, such as traditional streaming services, and provides listeners with a way to explore and support creators.

The fake website (audius-eligibility[.]com) claims to offer a retroactive airdrop of millions of tokens to Audius users. It says that visitors can receive free tokens to their Solana or EVM wallets. However, it is a scam, and it is not affiliated with the official Audius platform.

The goal of the site is to trick users into connecting their wallets. If users follow the instructions on the page, they unknowingly enable a cryptocurrency drainer, a harmful tool that can automatically move funds from their wallet to the scammer’s account.

Since blockchain transactions cannot be undone, any stolen cryptocurrency is permanently lost. To protect themselves, users should be cautious of offers promising free tokens or rewards and should never connect their wallets or share personal information on untrusted or unofficial sites.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Audius is a platform for decentralized music streaming, and scammers exploit its name using the fake site, audius-eligibility[.]com. This site is used to steal cryptocurrency by tricking users into connecting their wallets. Users should avoid interacting with suspicious offers and only use the official platforms to prevent permanent losses.

Examples of similar schemes are "Tradecat Airdrop Scam", "Polly Penguin ($POLLY) Airdrop Scam", and "$OILCOIN Airdrop Scam".

How did I open a scam website?

Scammers often promote scam pages like audius-eligibility[.]com. via hacked WordPress sites, fake or compromised social media accounts on platforms like Facebook and X, and malicious ad networks, which are often found on torrent sites, illegal streaming services, and other shady websites.

Adware, phishing emails containing links or attachments, untrustworthy notifications from dubious pages, and misleading pop-ups, buttons, or links on unreliable websites are also used to promote scams.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Regularly update your operating system and applications, and use trusted security software to scan your device. Only download programs from official sources or reputable app stores, and avoid interacting with ads, pop-ups, or links on untrustworthy websites.

Exercise caution with emails (or other messages) from unknown senders, and never click on links or open attachments in them. Also, do not allow suspicious sites to send 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 "Audius ($AUDIO) Airdrop" scam (GIF):

The original Audius website (audius.co):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Audius ($AUDIO) 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?

It is a scam that tricks users by offering fake giveaways, claiming they will receive free cryptocurrency.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

These scams aim to steal cryptocurrency by accessing wallets, installing drainers, or convincing victims to transfer funds directly to the scammers.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Cybercriminals promote scam websites through hacked sites, fake or stolen social media accounts, and malicious ad networks on untrustworthy platforms. Users may encounter these scams via misleading pop-ups, fake buttons or links, phishing emails, deceptive browser alerts, or ads injected by adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner detects suspicious activity on websites and warns users of potential dangers, helping safeguard their devices and personal information.