How to avoid scams like the fake "Avantis ($AVNT) Airdrop"

What is the "Avantis ($AVNT) Airdrop" scam?

During our examination of claim.avantishub[.]org, we found that this page promotes a fake "$AVNT Token Airdrop 2" campaign. The site is designed to deceive visitors into connecting their cryptocurrency wallets, which triggers a drainer that transfers their funds to the attackers.

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.

"Avantis ($AVNT) Airdrop" scam in detail

The legitimate Avantis platform (avantisfi.com) is a decentralized perpetuals trading protocol built on the Base blockchain. It lets users trade crypto assets with leverage and earn rewards based on trading activity and liquidity provision, tracked through Trading XP and Liquidity XP scores.

The fraudulent site at claim.avantishub[.]org impersonates this platform and claims to host a second "$AVNT Token Airdrop" event. Visitors are told they may be eligible to claim free $AVNT tokens if they have previously traded on Avantis or provided liquidity as an LP. A prominent "Claim AVNT" button is displayed to encourage action.

Clicking that button opens a wallet connection dialog offering Rainbow, Base Account, MetaMask, WalletConnect, and access to over 550 additional wallets. This wide selection is designed to accommodate as many potential victims as possible, regardless of which wallet they use.

Once a wallet is connected, the page activates a cryptocurrency drainer - a malicious tool that automatically transfers funds from the victim's wallet to one controlled by the scammers. The connection itself is enough; no further action is required from the victim for the theft to occur.

Since blockchain transactions cannot be reversed, any stolen funds are permanently lost. Users should always confirm they are on an official platform before connecting a wallet, and treat unsolicited free token offers with caution.

Conclusion

claim.avantishub[.]org is a fraudulent site falsely claiming to offer a second $AVNT token airdrop on behalf of the Avantis platform. Its sole purpose is to trick users into connecting their wallets so a drainer can empty them. The real Avantis platform is only accessible at avantisfi.com.

Some examples of similar scams are "gitlawb Voting Rewards", "KAIO Allocation", and "$PENDLE Voting Rewards".

How did I open a scam website?

Fake airdrop pages are commonly spread through hijacked WordPress sites and stolen or fabricated social media accounts. Scammers often use accounts belonging to well-known crypto projects, celebrities, or reputable companies to make their posts appear legitimate. Adware and similar software can also redirect users to fraudulent pages of this type.

In addition, users may encounter scam pages through misleading ads on dubious websites, notifications from untrustworthy pages, deceptive pop-ups or links, and phishing emails containing links to these sites.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Keep your operating system and all installed applications up to date. Only download software from official sources, and be cautious of unsolicited emails that contain links or attachments. Avoid interacting with suspicious ads, pop-ups, or links encountered on questionable websites.

Do not grant notification permissions to websites you do not trust. Before connecting a wallet to any platform, verify that you are on the official domain. 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 "Avantis ($AVNT) Airdrop" scam (GIF):

The official Avantis website (avantisfi.com):

Instant automatic malware removal:

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Quick menu:

• What is Avantis ($AVNT) Airdrop drainer scam?
• 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?

Scams like this promise free cryptocurrency tokens to users who connect their wallets or complete certain steps. They are typically presented as official distributions from legitimate projects to appear credible and attract as many victims as possible.

What is the purpose of a crypto scam?

These scams are designed to steal cryptocurrency. In this case, a drainer activates as soon as the victim connects their wallet, transferring funds directly to the attacker's address without requiring any further interaction.

Why do I encounter fake websites?

Fraudulent pages are promoted through compromised social media accounts, phishing emails, rogue advertising networks, and misleading ads, pop-ups, or links found on unsafe websites.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from scams?

Combo Cleaner can detect suspicious website activity and warn users about potential scams before they interact with them. This helps users avoid unsafe pages and reduces the risk of losing cryptocurrency to drainer attacks.