Airdrop
An airdrop is a free distribution of tokens to users, usually for past activity in a project or to draw attention to a launch. Some are genuinely valuable, and they are also the disguise most wallet-draining scams choose.
How it works
A project takes a snapshot of the network at a chosen block and decides which addresses qualify: used the product, held a token, provided liquidity. The tokens then either arrive on their own or must be claimed by hand on the project's site.
The logic for the project is straightforward: hand a share of governance to people who already use it, and arrive at listing with many holders at once. For the user it is compensation for early risk and the fees already spent.
That same mechanic makes airdrops ideal bait. The user is already expecting unexpected tokens and a signature on a website, so a fake claim page looks entirely natural to them.
What the theft looks like
- A token that arrived by itselfAn unknown token with an impressive "value" shows up in the wallet. Trying to sell it leads to a site asking for a signature, and that signature hands over access to the real assets.
- A claim page from a direct messageReal projects announce distributions in their own official channels. A link that arrives privately and urgently is nearly always fake.
- A request to "unlock" or payNobody pays to receive free tokens. Any "unlock fee" is where the story ends.
- A signature nobody readsThe danger is not the distribution but the approval you sign. Read what the site is actually requesting before confirming.
How to take part sensibly
- A separate walletKeep a wallet with nothing valuable in it for every airdrop and every connection to an unfamiliar site.
- Official sources onlyTake the claim URL from the project's own site or pinned post, not from search results and not from a chat.
- Count what it costsFarming activity for a future drop costs gas fees. Often the gas spent exceeds anything the drop pays out.
- Nothing is promisedA project promises nothing and may change the terms or skip the drop entirely. It is a lottery, not an income.