How to identify scams like the fake "Phantom Christmas Giveaway"

What is "Phantom Christmas Giveaway" scam?

Our examination has revealed that this site (phanstart[.]live) mimics the original Phantom platform, phantom.com. It is designed to trick visitors into believing they can receive free tokens by following the provided steps. However, there is no giveaway on phanstart[.]live and falling for this scam can result in financial losses.

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.

"Phantom Christmas Giveaway" scam in detail

Phantom (phantom.com), is a cryptocurrency wallet used to store, send, and manage digital assets like SOL, ETH, and NFTs. It offers a self‑custodial wallet, meaning users control their own private keys and the platform itself does not have access to users' funds. The scam site, phanstart[.]live, claims that users can get Phantom's tokens.

This website offers users to "claim a gift" (participate in a token giveaway) by connecting their wallets. If users connect their wallets, the fraudulent site launches a cryptocurrency drainer. This drainer is programmed to move funds from the victim's wallet directly to the scammers' wallet.

Because blockchain transactions are irreversible, any stolen cryptocurrency cannot be recovered. Thus, users should ignore promises of free tokens or rewards and never connect their wallets or share private information on unverified or unofficial sites.

Conclusion

Phanstart[.]live is a scam pretending to offer free Phantom tokens. Connecting a wallet allows scammers to steal cryptocurrency, which cannot be recovered. Users should avoid such giveaways and never connect wallets while visiting untrusted and unofficial sites. Similar scams (among many others) are "MegaETH Registration", "Cupsey Airdrop Scam", and "ZenChain Rewards Scam".

How did I open a scam website?

Scams may spread through phishing emails with malicious links, adware, and notifications from untrustworthy websites. Users may also encounter scams after interacting with fraudulent pop-ups, buttons, or links while browsing unreliable or suspicious pages.

In addition, cybercriminals promote fake websites by abusing compromised WordPress sites and using stolen or fake social media accounts on platforms like Facebook and X. Malicious advertising networks, often found on torrent sites, illegal streaming services, and other unsafe websites, are also commonly used to distribute these scams.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Regularly update your operating system and installed apps, and download software or files from official sources or well-known app stores. Run frequent scans using trusted security software to help detect and remove threats.

Be wary of unexpected emails or messages, especially from unfamiliar senders, and never open attachments or click links unless you are certain they are safe. Avoid interacting with questionable pop-ups, advertisements, or links, and do not grant notification permissions to untrusted websites.

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 "Phantom Christmas Giveaway" scam (GIF):

The original Phantom website (phantom.com):

Instant automatic malware removal:

Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:

By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by RCS LT, the parent company of PCRisk.com.

Quick menu:

• What is Fake Phantom Christmas 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?

These scams aim to entice users by claiming they can receive free cryptocurrency through fraudulent giveaways or similar methods.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

In most cases, these scams are intended to steal cryptocurrency by gaining access to wallets, using drainers or other malicious tools, or deceiving victims into transferring funds to the scammers.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Fraudsters promote fake websites using hacked sites, stolen or fake social media profiles, and malicious ad networks (often found on sites hosting torrents or offering illegal streaming services). They also rely on phishing emails, pop-ups, push notifications, and adware on unreliable platforms to trick potential victims.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner is capable of identifying suspicious websites (including scams) and alerting users to possible threats.