How to spot scams like the fake "Ice Open Network ($IOP) Airdrop"

What is "Ice Open Network ($IOP) Airdrop" scam?

Our inspection of the website (airdrop-ion[.]live) has revealed that it promotes a fraudulent crypto giveaway. The site mimics the appearance of the original Ice Open Network platform (ice.io) to appear legitimate and trick visitors into "participating". Victims of this scam may lose their cryptocurrency holdings. Thus, it should be avoided.

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 "Ice Open Network ($IOP) Airdrop" in detail

Ice Open Network (ice.io) is a Layer 1 blockchain platform that connects traditional web services (Web2) with decentralized applications (Web3). It allows developers and users to build, deploy, and interact with apps in a fully decentralized environment. Basically, it is a tool for creating and using decentralized applications without relying on a central authority.

The fake website, airdrop-ion[.]live, is used to promote a fake "Ice Open Network Airdrop". It claims that visitors can claim their $ION airdrop rewards by connecting their wallets. However, by taking this step, users would unknowingly launch a cryptocurrency drainer, a malicious program that steals funds by sending crypto from the victim's wallet to the scammers' wallet.

Because blockchain transactions are permanent, stolen cryptocurrency is usually unrecoverable. Once funds are sent to a scammer, there is no way to reverse the transaction.

For this reason, it is important to always check that websites are legitimate before connecting a wallet or sharing personal information. These steps help prevent falling for scams, such as the fake Ice Open Network platform (airdrop-ion[.]live).

Conclusion

Ice Open Network (ice.io) is a Layer 1 blockchain platform for building and using decentralized applications. However, airdrop-ion[.]live is a scam promoting a fake $ION airdrop to steal cryptocurrency. Stolen funds usually cannot be recovered. Thus, users should always verify websites before connecting wallets or sharing personal information.

More examples of similar scams are "War On USD (WAR) Rewards", "BlockDAG (BDAG) Rewards", and "Fake Cherry.fun Website".

How did I open a scam website?

Fraudsters often promote these scam websites through emails that have malicious links in them. They also exploit hacked social media accounts on platforms like Facebook and X (Twitter), as well as compromised WordPress sites and shady ad networks commonly connected to torrent or illegal streaming sites (and similar platforms).

Users can also encounter these scams while browsing, through misleading pop-ups, banners, buttons, or links on untrustworthy websites. They may also be redirected to malicious pages after clicking on ads displayed by adware or by engaging with notifications from suspicious sites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Only download software from official websites or reputable app stores, and stay away from pirated programs or tools that bypass licensing. Keep your operating system and all applications up to date.

Be cautious with emails or messages from unknown senders, especially those containing links or attachments, and verify their legitimacy before interacting. While browsing, avoid clicking on suspicious ads, pop-ups, or links, and do not allow untrusted websites 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 "Ice Open Network ($IOP) Airdrop" (GIF):

The original website (ice.io):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Fake Ice Open Network ($IOP) 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 giveaway?

Scams like this typically promise free coins or rewards in exchange for taking certain steps. They are often disguised as legitimate projects or promotions.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

These scams try to steal cryptocurrency by tricking users into revealing sensitive information, running malicious tools, or making transactions to scammers.

Why do I encounter scam websites?

Scam websites can be encountered in different ways, including fake pop-ups, ads, or links, and by engaging with notifications from untrustworthy sites. Cybercriminals also promote scams through phishing emails, hijacked social media accounts, compromised websites, and unreliable advertising networks.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Yes, Combo Cleaner detects malicious website activity and warns users about potential scams.