Biggest trend in cryptocurrency community currently are definitely airdrops. They are popping prom everywhere. There are dozens of new airdrops every day. Here is a good aggregate of crypto airdrops. But, perhaps firstly, it will be good to try to explain what are airdrops. And after that you will understand why it is important to do them on safe way.
What is a cryptocurrency airdrop?
It is very simple. Basically it is a free coins. Simple as that. Reflex question will be, why the heck will somebody give free tokens to the community. In most cases it is for the marketing reasons and to increase awareness about the blockchain project. In order to understand that better it will be good to quickly divide airdrops into basic groups:
- Holder airdrops
- Forked airdrops
- Regular airdrops
Holder airdrops
Vast majority of these projects are build on one of the main blockchains like Ethereum, Stellar or NEO. With this type of airdrops only thing what you will have to do it to hold that currency and you will be dropped with the new one.
Forked airdrops
When for some reason blockcahin is divided, and from that point we have two separated chains we are talking about about forks. With these types of airdrops, if you are holding original coins you are dropped with the new coins form the new chain. Good example of this type of airdrops is Bitcoin Cash.
Regular airdrops
These are most common airdrops these days. And we have a real explosion of them. For these airdrops in most cases you will need to do some social tasks like following Twitter profile, join Telegram groups or like Facebook pages. In some cases you will need to register for the project websites, or simple put your email or ETH address (most projects are build on Ethereum).
Are airdrops good for the crypto community?
With the recent ridiculous increase of the airdrops, there are fair voices that questions if airdrops are good for the community. Lots of them are blatant scams that puts a large shade on the whole community. But we cannot ignore great and legitimate project that have been doing airdrops like Stellar and Raiblocks that had a great value in the end.
How to do them on the safe way?
You may ask how something that it is free can be a scam? Well if it takes your time, and they do not provide you with free coins, then that airdrops is a scam. But most importantly, they can take your data, your personal information and sell it. Than you may be the future target of a scam!
Now you can see why it is very important to do the airdrops on a safe way. I have been doing it for the couple of months now, and that even motivated me to make a website that is dedicated only to airdrops. Finally here are the tips for the safe airdropping:
1. Create a new email address
Create a new email address that you will use only for the airdrops. Probably the most safe way (and this is not only for the airdrops) will be that if you have your own domain that your use different emails for every account. In example adobe@yourdomain.com, and that forward that mails to your mail. But, creating a new email that you will use only for the airdrops should be fine.
2. Never give your real name
While applying for the airdrops I'm avoiding to giving my real name. I'm not comfortable to sharing it with the not yet established projects.
3. Never use the same passwords
If you need to register for the website never use the same passwords. You probably already knows this, and this is the most important thing. Well this and not sharing your private key with anybody, but you know this already, right?
4. Never pay for the airdrop
If they are asking you to pay for the airdrops, go away, immediately.
5. Watch out for the KYC airdrops
Personally I'm avoiding these types of airdrops. I'm really not comfortable with giving my personal information for the free coin if I do not believe in the project, and I do not want to participate in the ICO. It is risky and not worthy it.
6. Create a new Ethereum address
I also like to create a new Ethereum address that I'm using only for the airdrops. I feel safer that way.
That's it guys. Same rules applies here - do your own research. And happy airdropping!