Fake Airdrops & Claim Page Scams
Free money is the bait. The signature on the claim page is the trap.
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.
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.
Documented cases in detail
The reward-bait version of this trap is broken down in fake airdrop phishing campaigns that drained $100M from 18,200 wallets — 47 campaigns, $400 drainer kits, one malicious signature each.
The rented-kit end of this vector is documented in our investigation into wallet drainers and approval-phishing attacks that use Permit2 signature traps — Permit2 traps, blind signing and a $1,500/month Telegram subscription.
How it works
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.
Investigations in this vector
Fake Airdrops: $100M Drained From 18,200 Wallets
47 fake airdrop campaigns drained $100M from 18,200 wallets in Q1 2026. Drainer kits sold in Telegram for $400. The signature is the trap.
Read the investigationAirdrop Survey Scams: The Eligibility Check That Drains
Fake airdrop pages hide an approval behind the Claim button. One signature and a drainer contract can move every token in your wallet.
Read the investigationRed flags
- 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
- 1.Revoke the approval granted on the claim page immediately.
- 2.Check for a second, quieter approval — claim kits often request two.
- 3.Move funds to a fresh address if an unlimited allowance was signed.
- 4.Report the domain; claim pages are cloned across dozens of lookalike hosts.
Related vocabulary
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