Fake Airdrops & Claim Page Scams
Airdrop fraud runs on a legitimate expectation: protocols really do give tokens away, and being early really does pay. The scam only has to imitate the paperwork of a real claim.
How this vector actually works
Every variant funnels to the same screen — connect, verify eligibility, sign to claim. The signature is never a claim. It is an allowance, and the wallet empties once the page is closed and forgotten.
- The eligibility hook — A checker tells you that you qualify for an amount worth acting on. The number is personalised to your balance.
- The gate — A survey, a Discord role, a small 'gas fee' — friction that makes the process feel administrative and legitimate.
- The claim signature — The final button requests an approval or a Permit signature. Nothing is claimed; permission is granted.
Red flags you can check in a minute
Any single item below is enough to stop and verify before you sign, send or install anything. Free money is the bait. The signature on the claim page is the trap.
- The claim link came from a DM, reply, or an ad rather than the protocol's own channel.
- Claiming requires paying gas to a contract you cannot read.
- The page asks for a signature before showing your allocation.
- The token is tradeable before the official distribution date.
- Eligibility is universal — everyone who connects qualifies.
If it already happened
Order matters more than speed of panic: contain the wallet first, preserve the evidence second, report third. Recovery services that contact you after the fact are the follow-up scam.
- Revoke the approval granted on the claim page immediately.
- Check for a second, quieter approval — claim kits often request two.
- Move funds to a fresh address if an unlimited allowance was signed.
- Report the domain; claim pages are cloned across dozens of lookalike hosts.
Related vectors and tools
Most real cases mix two vectors, so read the neighbouring hubs, and run anything suspicious through the detector before you act on it.