David Morey 
Cryptocurrency airdrops are essential for new projects, as they promote them and contribute to the circulation of the new token. The system is simple ― the team behind the project agrees to send a certain number of coins to the wallets of active users within the community. Sometimes, the requirements for receiving the coins include spreading awareness about the project on social media.
Airdrops give crypto businesses the advantage of making themselves seen in a highly competitive field. At the same time, they help investors and traders gain exposure to new projects and diversify their portfolios. Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to airdrops as well.
If you check out the latest airdrop news, you may come across scams associated with this marketing approach. That is because fraudsters can use airdrops to scam people by creating fake projects and exploiting naïve users. Considering their frequency, it’s time to learn how to identify and avoid them. So, here are the tell-tale signs to watch out for.
Understanding the base of a fake airdrop
Fake airdrops have similar features to genuine ones, from the distribution of tokens to the invitations sent to users. Many of these projects are carefully designed, and they have a narrative that seems real, which is why people fall into their trap.
In addition, not all of these airdrops offer free coins. Some are disguised as airdrop files or QR codes that lead users to fake websites or embedded scripts, as the people behind them attempt to establish an interaction through which you, as the user, will confirm a seemingly innocuous contract. However, this is a direct access approval to accessing your wallet.
Fake airdrops might not have been previously announced
One of the first signs to look out for is the lack of an announcement of the project’s airdrop. Typically, people monitor the project’s social media channels to stay updated, but if an airdrop is not announced and instead communicated through unsolicited direct messages, it’s not to be trusted.
All reliable crypto projects should have an official account on social media channels like X, Discord, or Telegram, where the team engages with users and posts important announcements. However, unofficial groups or poorly designed websites suggest that something is suspicious.
Fake airdrops will always somehow request the private key
The private key is a code generated by the wallet, which proves ownership of the assets and authorizes transactions. It’s essential that you never disclose it to anyone, but scammers will always try to gain access to it, sometimes by asking for it directly.
Of course, they will disguise it as a way to verify your wallet, after which you will supposedly receive the tokens. After they acquire it, you lose complete control over your wallet and assets. So, always remember that anyone requesting the private key is nothing but a fraudster.
Fake airdrops ask for money to unlock the rewards
One of the most common yet underrated methods of setting up a scam is asking for a “small” contribution through which rewards can be sent. They can be either upfront gas fees or crypto payments in Ethereum or other coins. However, after you make the payment, you lose the funds and never receive the tokens from the airdrops.
It’s worth noting that airdrops are always free and only require you to be an active user or share a post from the project’s social media page. Teams offer airdrops to encourage widespread usage, not to make money immediately, so they select users based on specific requirements.
Fake airdrops are written in poor grammar and a certain kind of language
While this is a general observation that applies to most scams, it is also occurring in the crypto space. Most fake airdrop posts on social media contain numerous grammatical errors, which speaks volumes about their credibility. However, some of the latest scams showed an improvement in grammar, so you should look deeper into the language they use instead.
The tactics used create a sense of urgency that compels people to act now, without a decision-making process. Phrases can be somewhat aggressive and rushed, making the offer sound final. On the other hand, reliable airdrops are accompanied by professional communication and transparent announcements.
Fake airdrops will direct you towards malicious links
Some scammers are more practical when it comes to accessing people’s funds. While they won’t ask for your private key, they will lure you into accessing a link or a website built on top of a wallet drainer, or a malicious decentralized app that uses smart contracts.
Once you connect your wallet to the link, the scammer will automatically gain access to your funds. These links are usually designed as a button from which the user can claim their tokens, but it’s actually a transaction that they sign in order for the fraudster to gain access.
Nils Andersen-Röed, Global Head of FIU at Binance.com, argued that “Despite advanced privacy tools, every crypto transaction leaves a trace – a crucial asset for modern law enforcement. As crypto crime grows more complex, global cooperation and strong public-private partnerships are not optional, but essential.”
What are some examples of fake airdrops?
Many fake airdrops have occurred since the inception of cryptocurrency, but some have remained a part of history. For example, Wall Street Pepe (WEPE), an Ethereum-based meme coin, was the target of such a scam, as fraudsters literally copied its legitimate website and promised airdrops to users who connected their digital wallets to the website. However, it was merely a means to induce investors to sign malicious contracts.
This was also the case for Sui, a layer-1 blockchain solution. The mimicked webpage for the platform requested users to link their digital wallets as an eligibility feature, but the link was connected to a wallet drainer. Therefore, people’s funds ended up in a wallet owned by scammers.
Final considerations
Fake airdrops are common because they exploit naïve individuals, whose limited knowledge of the crypto sector and desire to obtain free money cloud their judgment. It’s better to remember that when the reward promise sounds unrealistic, it probably is, as trustworthy airdrops usually offer a small number of tokens from the project, only to spread awareness about it.
