Fake Chainbase Airdrop Sites Drain Crypto Wallets in Sophisticated Phishing Campaign

A coordinated phishing campaign targeting cryptocurrency holders is impersonating Chainbase, a legitimate Web3 infrastructure provider, to trick users into connecting their wallets to fraudulent websites — resulting in immediate and irreversible theft of digital assets.

Researchers from PCrisk have uncovered dozens of phishing domains, including chainbz[.]vip, mimicking the appearance of Chainbase's official platform to promote fake airdrop campaigns. Victims are lured into these scams through malicious ads, social media spam, and direct messages, then manipulated into granting wallet permissions or revealing private keys — allowing attackers to drain entire crypto holdings within seconds.

Deceptive Sites Masquerade as Legitimate Chainbase Promotions

The scam websites use stolen Chainbase branding, logos, and user interface elements to appear legitimate. A common tactic is to promote fake events like “Chainbase Airdrop Season 1,” offering users free tokens if they “connect their wallet” to verify eligibility. These campaigns create urgency with messages like “You are early — and it matters!” to exploit users’ fear of missing out.

Clicking the “Connect Wallet” button launches a malicious wallet integration prompt that closely mimics authentic Web3 connection dialogs. Users are asked to approve permissions that give the attacker access to sign transactions, spend tokens, or interact with pre-configured smart contracts designed to siphon funds.

Attack Chain: From Click to Crypto Theft

Once connected, the phishing site executes the next stage of the scam. In some variants, users are told to “update their wallet” to receive the airdrop, leading to a form that asks for the wallet’s seed phrase or private key — a critical breach of security. Once submitted, attackers immediately import the wallet into their own systems and transfer funds to external accounts, often breaking them up across multiple addresses to avoid detection.

Blockchain analysis shows that the drainers often target assets including ETH, NFTs, and stablecoins. The transactions are automated and executed within seconds of user interaction, making recovery impossible due to the immutable nature of blockchain.

This scam has no affiliation with the legitimate Chainbase platform, which offers decentralized data infrastructure tools for Web3 developers. However, the attackers exploit Chainbase’s growing visibility in the space to lend credibility to their operation.

Phishing Campaigns Fuel Growing Crypto Losses

According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, more than $1 billion in crypto has been lost to scams since 2021, with phishing campaigns being among the most common and devastating. The Chainbase airdrop scam follows a familiar pattern, combining social engineering, fake branding, and convincing web design to manipulate users into compromising their wallets.

Distribution methods include:

• Fake social media posts and impersonated Chainbase accounts on X (formerly Twitter), Telegram, and Discord
• Malvertising and rogue pop-up ads, sometimes appearing on otherwise legitimate websites
• Direct messages and comment spam in crypto-related forums, blogs, and YouTube videos
• Typosquatting domains resembling official URLs

As detailed in an analysis of the Chainbase Airdrop scam by MalwareTips, these operations often use convincing graphics and phishing logic tailored to exploit user trust and FOMO (fear of missing out).

Detection and Mitigation

Cybersecurity platforms such as Trustwave and VirusTotal flag domains like chainbz[.]vip for phishing and malware distribution. Despite this, the sites often remain active due to evasive hosting tactics, rapid domain switching, and use of cheap top-level domains like .vip, .xyz, and .shop.

Victims who have interacted with these phishing sites are urged to:

• Immediately disconnect their wallet from the scam site
• Revoke any unauthorized permissions via platforms like Etherscan or BscScan
• Transfer remaining assets to a new secure wallet
• Report the malicious domain to platforms like ScamSniffer or Chainabuse

Once a wallet is compromised, there is no recovery mechanism for lost funds, highlighting the importance of preventive measures and early detection.

Staying Safe in Web3

To avoid falling victim to scams like the Chainbase phishing campaign, users should:

• Verify URLs carefully before connecting a wallet—bookmark trusted sites
• Never share seed phrases or private keys
• Use hardware wallets for enhanced security
• Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited messages or suspicious ads

As cryptocurrency adoption grows, so does the sophistication of scams. The Chainbase airdrop phishing campaign underscores the ongoing need for vigilance and education among Web3 users.