How to Deal With the “$SHADOW Presale” Scam

Cryptocurrency scams are evolving fast, often disguised as new investment opportunities. One recent example is the “$SHADOW Presale” scam, a fraudulent campaign run via the website sol-shadow[.]com. This scam promotes itself as an exclusive token presale for a meme coin named $SHADOW, luring users with promises of early investor advantages and high future returns. However, the reality is far more sinister—this is a phishing trap designed to steal cryptocurrency wallets and drain funds irreversibly.

Let’s break down how this scam operates, the dangers it poses, and how to identify it before falling victim.

Threat Summary

Attribute	Details
Threat Name	Fake $SHADOW Presale
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Participants gain early access, exclusive benefits, and potential profits
Disguise	Legitimate cryptocurrency token presale platform
Associated Domain	sol-shadow[.]com
Detection Names	G-Data (Phishing), Others (See VirusTotal report for full list)
Symptoms	Unverified domain, asks for recovery phrases, unrealistic promises
Damage Potential	Theft of wallet credentials, financial loss, identity theft
Distribution Methods	Fake crypto news, pop-up ads, hijacked accounts, spam links
Associated Emails	None identified at the time of review
Danger Level	Extremely High – Direct loss of crypto assets

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What Is the “$SHADOW Presale” Scam?

The fake website sol-shadow[.]com promotes a presale for a so-called meme token named $SHADOW. The site is cleverly designed to look legitimate, mimicking the style of real crypto projects. It makes unrealistic promises—such as exclusive benefits, early access perks, and financial gains—to convince users to connect their cryptocurrency wallets.

Once users interact with the site, it prompts them to connect their wallets, often asking for sensitive information like secret recovery phrases. This is the most critical red flag. Any legitimate platform will never ask for this information. Once a scammer obtains a recovery phrase, they can instantly access and drain the wallet of all its assets.

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Why This Scam Is So Dangerous

Crypto transactions are irreversible by design. Once a transaction is signed and sent, there’s no undoing it. Scammers use this to their advantage. Victims often find out too late that their funds are gone, and recovering them is virtually impossible.

Additionally, these scams are spread through social engineering techniques. You may encounter them through hacked social media accounts, rogue ads, or even links shared in trusted online communities.

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Eliminating Crypto Scam Threats

Step 1: Identify and Report the Scam

1. Gather evidence (screenshots, emails, transaction IDs).
2. Report the fraud to:
   • Your crypto exchange (Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, etc.).
   • Law enforcement agencies like the FBI’s IC3 (ic3.gov) or the SEC (sec.gov/tcr).
   • The Federal Trade Commission (reportfraud.ftc.gov).
   • Blockchain explorers (like Etherscan) to check your wallet transactions.

Step 2: Uninstall Suspicious Software & Apps

• On Windows: Open Control Panel > Programs & Features → Find & Uninstall suspicious programs.
• On macOS:Go to Finder > Applications → Drag unwanted apps to Trash.
• On Android & iOS: Go to Settings > Apps → Uninstall fake crypto wallets or trading apps.

Step 3: Remove Malicious Browser Extensions

1. Google Chrome:
   • Open chrome://extensions/
   • Remove any unfamiliar or crypto-related suspicious add-ons.
2. Firefox / Edge / Safari:
   • Go to browser settings > extensions → Delete suspicious ones.
3. Clear browser cache & cookies:
   • Open browser settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data.

Step 4: Secure Your Accounts & Wallets

Change passwords immediately for:

• Crypto wallets
• Exchanges
• Email & social media

Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):

• Use Google Authenticator, YubiKey, or Authy.

Move remaining funds to a secure wallet:

• Use a hardware wallet (Ledger, Trezor) instead of online wallets.

Step 5: Scan for Hidden Malware & Keyloggers

Your system may still have spyware, tracking your keystrokes or redirecting you to scam sites. A deep scan is essentialto detect and remove threats.

⏳ For a thorough malware check, use SpyHunter. (See Method 2 below.)

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Automatic Removal with SpyHunter

If you suspect hidden malware, SpyHunter can detect and remove crypto scam-related malware, trojans, and browser hijackers.

Step 1: Download SpyHunter

Download SpyHunter Here

Follow SpyHunter installation instructions here: SpyHunter Download Guide

Step 2: Install and Run SpyHunter

1. Run the SpyHunter installer.
2. Follow the on-screen installation steps.
3. Launch SpyHunter after installation.

Step 3: Perform a Full Malware Scan

1. Click “Start Scan Now”.
2. Let SpyHunter scan for:
   • Crypto-stealing malware
   • Browser hijackers redirecting to fake exchanges
   • Phishing-related spyware

Step 4: Remove All Detected Threats

• Click “Fix Threats” to eliminate malicious programs.
• Restart your system to complete the cleanup.

Step 5: Enable Real-Time Protection for Future Security

Activate SpyHunter’s real-time protection to:

• Block phishing & scam websites
• Prevent future infections
• Monitor system vulnerabilities

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Proactive Prevention: How to Avoid Crypto Scams

• NEVER share your private keys or seed phrases – even with “support teams.”
• Always verify URLs before logging in to exchanges.
• Use only official wallet apps from trusted sources.
• Ignore unsolicited investment offers via Telegram, Discord, and social media.
• Check for HTTPS & security certificates before entering login details.
• Regularly scan your device for hidden malware and spyware.
• Store crypto in a hardware wallet (Ledger, Trezor) rather than online wallets.

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Final Thoughts

The "$SHADOW Presale" is a high-risk phishing scam targeting the cryptocurrency community. It manipulates excitement around meme coins and early investment opportunities to trick users into giving up their most private wallet credentials.

Never share your wallet recovery phrase or private key with any website, and always verify crypto-related domains through official sources. If you encounter sol-shadow[.]com or similar pages, close the tab immediately and warn others in your community.