What is an airdrop? Eligibility and checks before connecting a wallet

An airdrop is a way for a project to distribute tokens to users. Projects may reward existing users or draw attention to participation. But clicking a link or signing simply because something is described as “free” can lead to phishing losses.

Terms often found in announcements

• Snapshot: A record of holdings or usage at a particular time.
• Eligibility: The rules specifying who may receive tokens.
• Claim: The process by which an eligible person requests or receives a distribution.
• Vesting: A structure under which rights to tokens become established according to a schedule or conditions. Rights can vest all at once or in several stages. Check distribution and unlock terms separately to learn when tokens can actually be received or transferred.
• Points: Activity scores defined by the project. Having points does not guarantee a token distribution or a fixed conversion ratio.

Checks before participating

Check the official domain, announcement date, eligibility rules, distribution network, token address and claim deadline. Separate community expectations from confirmed project terms. Time and gas spent participating may exceed the expected reward.

Anyone who knows an address can send unfamiliar tokens or NFTs to it. An asset arriving in a wallet is not an official notice that you won something. Rather than following a URL in a token's name or image, look for an announcement through official channels you already know.

Connecting and signing are different steps

Connecting a wallet usually lets a site see an address and related information. Subsequent signatures or token approvals may grant more extensive permissions. Even a gas-free signature can affect authority to move assets, so do not approve merely because a signature is called “free”.

If you have already approved a suspicious request, stop signing further requests and consult your wallet's official guidance. Disconnecting a website and revoking a token allowance are different actions. Do not comply with offers to claim for you in exchange for your private key or recovery phrase.

References

ethereum.org
support.metamask.io