Avoid getting scammed by fake "Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop" websites

What is a fake "Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop"?

Upon inspection, we determined that this "Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop" is fake. This cryptocurrency giveaway promoted on polyhedra[.]ltd is merely a lure, and it is not associated with either the Polyhedra Network or zkBridge. This scheme impersonates the aforementioned platform and protocol.

Yet despite the scam's convincing appearance, it has no association with the content it imitates. This "Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop" operates as a cryptocurrency drainer that steals funds out of exposed digital wallets.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We do not review crypto projects, please do your own research when investing money.

Federal Trade Comission (FTC) states that since the start of 2021, more than 46,000 people have reported losing over $1 billion in crypto to scams – that's about one out of every four dollars reported lost, more than any other payment method.

Fake "Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop" overview

As mentioned in the introduction, this scam copies the graphics associated with the Polyhedra Network (polyhedra.network) – a platform developed by Polyhedra – a Web3 infrastructure firm. The same graphics are used by Polyhedra's zkBridge (zkbridge.com) – a protocol that enables cross-chain transactions.

This imitator scheme was hosted on polyhedra[.]ltd – however, it could be promoted on other domains. It must be reiterated that this scam is not linked with any existing platforms or other entities.

This fake website is running a bogus ZK cryptocurrency airdrop. When users attempt to claim the digital assets, they are required to "connect" their cryptowallet. This results in a cryptocurrency-draining mechanism being executed.

Funds are transferred out of victims' wallets in automated transactions. Some drainers can approximate the value of assets and target them first. What is more, these transactions cannot be reversed due to their nearly untraceable nature. Therefore, victims of such scams cannot recover their funds.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop" crypto drainer scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud, Cryptocurrency Drainer
Disguise	Polyhedra Network, zkBridge
Related Domains	polyhedra[.]ltd
Detection Names	Combo Cleaner (Malware), Cluster25 (Phishing), CRDF (Malicious), CyRadar (Malicious), G-Data (Malware), Kaspersky (Malware), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	104.21.59.161
Distribution methods	Compromised websites, social media spam, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications.
Damage	Monetary loss
Malware Removal (Windows)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Cryptocurrency drainer scam examples

We have inspected thousands of online scams; "LightLink Wallet Connect", "EigenDA Maines Launch Allocation", and "Quant (QNT) Airdrop" are merely a couple examples.

Cryptocurrency-specific schemes work in one of three ways – draining funds out of compromised wallets, targeting cryptowallet log-in credentials, or deceiving victims into manually transferring digital assets to scammer-owned wallets.

While the commonly held belief that scams are poorly crafted and riddled with errors is not untrue, it is not always the case. Online schemes can be competently made and even perfectly imitate genuine websites.

How did I open a scam website?

Online scams are primarily promoted via spam (e.g., emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, social media/ forum posts, browser notifications, etc.), malvertising, typosquatting (misspelled URLs), websites using rogue advertising networks, and adware.

To expand upon the methods noted in use to endorse cryptocurrency-centered schemes, social media spam is prevalent. We have observed dozens of promotional posts and private/direct messages on the X (formerly Twitter) social media platform. This content can be pushed using accounts stolen from real influencers, celebrities, projects, companies, organizations, etc. – thus, it can appear convincingly legitimate.

Additionally, malvertising has often been employed to promote these scams. Specifically, intrusive pop-up adverts that promise various benefits, and some even include functional draining mechanisms. It is pertinent to mention that the pop-ups have been encountered on legitimate sites that had been hacked.

How to avoid visiting scam websites?

We highly recommend exercising caution while browsing. Pay attention to URLs and enter them carefully. Be selective about which webpages are allowed to deliver browser notifications. Do not permit suspect pages to display these ads; instead, ignore or deny the notification requests (i.e., press "Block", "Block Notifications", etc.).

Be vigilant with incoming emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, and other messages. Attachments or links found in suspect mail must not be opened.

Do not use websites that offer pirated programs/media or other dubious services (e.g., Torrenting, illegal streaming/downloading, etc.), as these webpages usually utilize rogue advertising networks.

Download from official/verified sources and treat installations with care (e.g., read terms, study options, use "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt out of supplementary apps, extensions, etc.) – to prevent bundled/dangerous software from infiltrating the device.

If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate all threats.

Appearance of the fake "Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop" (GIF):

Screenshot of the official Polyhedra Network website (polyhedra.network):

Screenshot of the official zkBridge website (zkbridge.com):

Instant automatic malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Quick menu:

• What is "Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop" crypto drainer scam?
• How to identify a pop-up scam?
• How do pop-up scams work?
• How to remove fake pop-ups?
• How to prevent fake pop-ups?
• What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

How to identify a pop-up scam?

Pop-up windows with various fake messages are a common type of lures cybercriminals use. They collect sensitive personal data, trick Internet users into calling fake tech support numbers, subscribe to useless online services, invest in shady cryptocurrency schemes, etc.

While in the majority of cases these pop-ups don't infect users' devices with malware, they can cause direct monetary loss or could result in identity theft.

Cybercriminals strive to create their rogue pop-up windows to look trustworthy, however, scams typically have the following characteristics:

• Spelling mistakes and non-professional images - Closely inspect the information displayed in a pop-up. Spelling mistakes and unprofessional images could be a sign of a scam.
• Sense of urgency - Countdown timer with a couple of minutes on it, asking you to enter your personal information or subscribe to some online service.
• Statements that you won something - If you haven't participated in a lottery, online competition, etc., and you see a pop-up window stating that you won.
• Computer or mobile device scan - A pop-up window that scans your device and informs of detected issues - is undoubtedly a scam; webpages cannot perform such actions.
• Exclusivity - Pop-up windows stating that only you are given secret access to a financial scheme that can quickly make you rich.

Example of a pop-up scam:

How do pop-up scams work?

Cybercriminals and deceptive marketers usually use various advertising networks, search engine poisoning techniques, and shady websites to generate traffic to their pop-ups. Users land on their online lures after clicking on fake download buttons, using a torrent website, or simply clicking on an Internet search engine result.

Based on users' location and device information, they are presented with a scam pop-up. Lures presented in such pop-ups range from get-rich-quick schemes to fake virus scans.

How to remove fake pop-ups?

In most cases, pop-up scams do not infect users' devices with malware. If you encountered a scam pop-up, simply closing it should be enough. In some cases scam, pop-ups may be hard to close; in such cases - close your Internet browser and restart it.

In extremely rare cases, you might need to reset your Internet browser. For this, use our instructions explaining how to reset Internet browser settings.

How to prevent fake pop-ups?

To prevent seeing pop-up scams, you should visit only reputable websites. Torrent, Crack, free online movie streaming, YouTube video download, and other websites of similar reputation commonly redirect Internet users to pop-up scams.

To minimize the risk of encountering pop-up scams, you should keep your Internet browsers up-to-date and use reputable anti-malware application. For this purpose, we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.

What to do if you fell for a pop-up scam?

This depends on the type of scam that you fell for. Most commonly, pop-up scams try to trick users into sending money, giving away personal information, or giving access to one's device.

• If you sent money to scammers: You should contact your financial institution and explain that you were scammed. If informed promptly, there's a chance to get your money back.
• If you gave away your personal information: You should change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication in all online services that you use. Visit Federal Trade Commission to report identity theft and get personalized recovery steps.
• If you let scammers connect to your device: You should scan your computer with reputable anti-malware (we recommend Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows) - cyber criminals could have planted trojans, keyloggers, and other malware, don't use your computer until removing possible threats.
• Help other Internet users: report Internet scams to Federal Trade Commission.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is an online scam?

Online scams are deceptive messages intended to trick users into carrying out specific actions. For example, victims can be enticed into connecting digital wallets to crypto drainers, making monetary transactions, disclosing sensitive information, downloading/installing software, purchasing products, etc.

What is the purpose of online scams?

Online scams are designed to generate revenue for scammers. Cyber criminals primarily profit by obtaining funds through deception, promoting content (e.g., websites, software, products, services, etc.), abusing/selling private information, and distributing malware.

I have lost cryptocurrency to the "Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop" scam, can I get my money back?

These transactions cannot be reversed because of their nearly untraceable nature. Hence, victims of scams like "Polyhedra Network $ZK Airdrop" cannot recover their funds.

Why do I encounter online scams?

Online scams are most commonly promoted through sites using rogue advertising networks, misspelled URLs (typosquatting), malvertising (intrusive ads), spam (e.g., social media posts, emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, browser notifications, etc.), and adware.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from online scams?

Combo Cleaner can scan visited websites and detect rogue, deceptive/scam, and malicious pages. Therefore, should you happen upon such a webpage – you will be warned immediately, and further access to it will be blocked.

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