Jupiter Airdrop scam is an alleged crypto-airdrop campaign that promises free crypto tokens, yet in return only empties users’ crypto wallets. Parasiting on the name of a legit and real cryptocurrency, this scam exploits hastily made decisions and a rush for quick profit. In this article, I describe how this scam operates, and explain to you how to avoid similar fraudulent activities in future.
Jupiter Airdrop Scam Overview
Jupiter Airdrop scam operates in a manner typical for pretty much all fake airdrop campaigns. It masquerades as a legitimate airdrop for the Jupiter (JUP) cryptocurrency, open to anyone passing by. Airdrops are like digital treasure chests — crypto projects sometimes distribute free tokens to promote their platforms.
Sounds great, right? Feels like free money is just around the corner: just link your wallet, and on the day X, get ready to witness your wallet filling up with coins. Yet not in the case of a scam airdrop, which ends up with exactly the opposite.
Here’s the twist: real Jupiter Airdrops have indeed taken place. The decentralized exchange aggregator distributed 700 million JUP tokens, valued at $567 million, to approximately 2 million eligible wallets. Unsurprisingly, fraudsters use this fact to make their schemes seem credible.
As always, the scam campaign starts with a bait. You stumble upon a website or social media post promoting the Jupiter Airdrop. It looks legit, and may look like being endorsed by a celebrity or a hacked account. This often happens in X/Twitter; back in the days, there was an entire pandemic of hijacked Twitter accounts that were promoting crypto scam.
Next, you’re asked to connect your digital wallet to claim your free JUP tokens. Once you connect your wallet, the platform secretly acts as a crypto drainer. It initiates automatic transactions, siphoning all your funds. And just like that, your crypto is gone. As a result, no refunds, no customer service hotline.
How the Scam Works?
To understand how this scam works, let’s dive into the technical details. Attackers use a combination of social engineering and malicious software traps to gain access to your wallet and drain your funds. Knowing how they operate is the first step to protecting yourself. First, the attackers create a professional-looking website that mimics a legitimate cryptocurrency airdrop. This site is designed to trick users into believing they’re participating in a real JUP token distribution.
The website often includes logos of well-known crypto projects or influencers, countdown timers, or messages like “Hurry, only a few tokens left!” This is done to appear credible and pressure users into acting quickly.
When you click the “Connect Wallet” button, the website initiates a connection request to your wallet. The site uses standard protocols like WalletConnect or MetaMask to establish a connection. These protocols are legitimate, but in this case, they’re being abused. Once connected, the site may ask for permissions to interact with your wallet. This is where things get dangerous.
Behind the scenes, the website is running a malicious script or smart contract designed to drain your funds. Once your wallet is connected, it gains access to your wallet’s permissions. The drainer script initiates unauthorized transactions, transferring your funds (e.g., Ethereum, Bitcoin, or other tokens) to the attacker’s wallet address. Since blockchain transactions are irreversible and pseudonymous, the stolen funds are nearly impossible to recover.
How to Avoid Scams Like This
To protect yourself from scams, you need to be able to spot them. Attackers rely heavily on social engineering to lure victims. They use hacked or impersonated accounts to promote the airdrop on platforms like X/Twitter. The scam is also spread through spam posts, rogue ads, and even compromised websites. Fake websites often use domain names that look similar to legitimate ones (e.g., “claimjupuary.pages[.]dev” instead of the real Jupiter site).
First, always verify the legitimacy of an airdrop. Visit the official project website or social media channels. To quickly check the legitimacy of a website, use our free online URL scanner. Second, don’t connect your wallet randomly. If a site asks you to connect your wallet to claim free crypto, don’t do that without your own research.
Beware of spam. If it’s in your DMs, browser notifications, or a sketchy ad, it’s probably a scam. You can also block browser notifications. Adware is another effective way to spread questionable things, whether it’s malware or a fraudulent website. If a website asks to send you notifications, block it.
