Avoid getting scammed by fake Polkadot cryptocurrency giveaways
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is the "Polkadot giveaway" scam?
"Polkadot giveaway" is the name of a scam promoted on various untrustworthy sites. The scheme promises to triple the DOT (Polkadot) cryptocurrency users submit to the "competition". However, any amount users transfer to the digital wallet address provided by this scam - will be simply lost, as it will be stolen by the scammers.
"Polkadot giveaway" scam overview
The "Polkadot giveaway" is presented as a competition hosted in celebration of the Polkadot cryptocurrency's achievements. Supposedly, the organizers have contributed one million DOT to be given away to qualifying competitors. To participate in the fake giveaway, users are asked to transfer from 100 to 10000 DOT to the cryptowallet address listed by the scam. Allegedly, by doing so - users will receive triple the amount in a matter of minutes.
As mentioned in the introduction, the "Polkadot giveaway" is a scam, and by trusting it - users will lose the DOT cryptocurrency they transfer and experience financial loss.
| Name | Polkadot giveaway scam website |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Scam claims that users will triple the Polkadot cryptocurrency they transfer to it. |
| Related Domains | dot-event[.]live |
| Detection Names (dot-event[.]live) | Spamhaus (Phishing), Certego (Suspicious), Fortinet (Spam), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Symptoms | Fake error messages, fake system warnings, pop-up errors, hoax computer scan. |
| Distribution methods | Compromised websites, rogue online pop-up ads, potentially unwanted applications. |
| Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft, possible malware infections. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Online scams in general
"SAFEMOON Giveaway", "SpaceX BTC and ETH giveaway", "BITCOIN DONATE", and "SOLANA (SOL) Giveaway" are some examples of crypto-related scams.
There are thousands of deceptive sites on the Web, and they use various fake claims to trick visitors into performing specific actions (e.g., transferring cryptocurrency, making bogus payments, disclosing private data, downloading/installing software, etc.). The Internet is rife with misleading, deceptive, and even malicious content. Therefore, it is strongly advised to exercise caution when browsing.
How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?
Deceptive/Scam sites are typically accessed via redirects caused by rogue webpages, intrusive ads, or installed PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications). These apps often stealthily infiltrate systems and tend to have harmful abilities, e.g., force-opening websites, delivering intrusive ad campaigns (adware), modifying browsers (browser hijackers), and collecting private data.
PUAs are proliferated using the "bundling" tactic - packing regular programs with unwanted/malicious additions. Rushed downloads/installations increase the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled content into the device. Intrusive advertisements spread PUAs as well. Once clicked on, the adverts can execute scripts to make downloads/installations without user permission. Some PUAs may also have "official" download pages.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
It is advised to research software and download it from official/trustworthy channels. Dubious sources, e.g., Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, unofficial and freeware websites, etc. - commonly offer bundled/hazardous content.
When downloading/installing, it is important to read terms, explore available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings, and opt-out from all supplements. Intrusive adverts appear legitimate; however, they redirect to highly questionable sites (e.g., adult-dating, gambling, pornography, etc.).
In case of encounters with ads and/or redirects of this kind, the system must be checked and all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins detected - removed from it without delay. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate them.
Text presented in the "Polkadot giveaway" scam:
POLKADOT IS LIVE.
Polkadot development is on track to deliver the most robust platform for security, scalability and innovation. To celebrate all of our current exchanges listing and achievements, we have committed a total of 1,000,000 DOT to give away to our fans worldwide. Every person can participate; In order to be eligible, users must have minimum 100 DOT during the competition period. All Qualifying users will split a pool of 1,000,000 DOT.
Get Started
POLKADOT COMPETITION
Polkadot is now listed in all the top exchanges. To celebrate all of our current exchanges listing, MarketCap, achievements, we have committed a total of 1,000,000 DOT to give away to our fans worldwide. Every person can participate; In order to be eligible, users must have minimum 100 DOT during the competition period. All Qualifying users will split a pool of 1,000,000 DOT.
Join Competition
To verify your DOT address, just send from 100 to 10,000 DOT to the generated address below and get from 300 to 30,000 DOT sent back to the address you sent DOT from or the one you specified below, you will get X3 of what you send to the giveaway address.
In this event, participant will get 3X (TRIPPLE) of whatever they send to the giveaway address instantly which can be traded on any exchange
How To Participate:
Step1: Make sure you have at least 100 DOT or above in your wallet.
Step2: Enter the amount to wish to invest below.
Step3: Enter the DOT address you want to receive the bonus with
Step4: Click the "Generate Payment" button to generate the payment address.
Step5: Send the amount you entered to the generated address.
Step6: Wait for at least 5 - 10 minutes after transaction is confirmed.
The 3X bonus will be sent to the address you entered or the one you sent the DOT from.
The appearance of "Polkadot giveaway" pop-up scam (GIF):
Another example of Polkadot giveaway-themed scam website (polkadot-22[.]com):
Text presented within:
Giveaway Rules FAQ Transactions
Hurry up and take part in the giveaway of
1 000 000 DOT
During this unique event we will give you a chance to win 1 000 000 DOT, have a look at the rules and don't miss on your chance!
Participate in the giveaway More info
Marketplace
Price Predictions
Live Event
1 000 000 DOT
Giveaway
Gavin Wood
Polkadot (DOT)
1 000 000 DOT
About
We believe that Blockchain and Polkadot will make the world more fair. To speed up the process of cryptocurrency mass adoption, We decided to run 1 000 000 DOT giveaway.
Rules
To participate you just need to send from 50 DOT to 20 000 DOT to the contribution address and we will immediately send you back 100 DOT to 40 000 DOT (x2) to the address you sent it from.
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:
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Quick menu:
- What is "Polkadot giveaway"?
- STEP 1. Uninstall deceptive applications using Control Panel.
- STEP 2. Remove rogue extensions from Google Chrome.
- STEP 3. Remove potentially unwanted plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox.
- STEP 4. Remove rogue extensions from Safari.
- STEP 5. Remove rogue plug-ins from Microsoft Edge.
Removal of potentially unwanted applications:
Windows 11 users:
Right-click on the Start icon, select Apps and Features. In the opened window search for the application you want to uninstall, after locating it, click on the three vertical dots and select Uninstall.
Windows 10 users:
Right-click in the lower left corner of the screen, in the Quick Access Menu select Control Panel. In the opened window choose Programs and Features.
Windows 7 users:
Click Start (Windows Logo at the bottom left corner of your desktop), choose Control Panel. Locate Programs and click Uninstall a program.
macOS (OSX) users:
Click Finder, in the opened screen select Applications. Drag the app from the Applications folder to the Trash (located in your Dock), then right click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
In the uninstall programs window, look for any suspicious/recently-installed applications, select these entries and click "Uninstall" or "Remove".
After uninstalling the potentially unwanted application, scan your computer for any remaining unwanted components or possible malware infections. To scan your computer, use recommended malware removal software.
Remove rogue extensions from Internet browsers:
Video showing how to remove potentially unwanted browser add-ons:
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon 
(at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and remove them.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the polkadot giveaway scam website, reset your Google Chrome browser settings. Click the Chrome menu icon (at the top right corner of Google Chrome) and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Click the Advanced… link.
After scrolling to the bottom of the screen, click the Reset (Restore settings to their original defaults) button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Google Chrome settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
Remove malicious plugins from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu 
(at the top right corner of the main window), select "Add-ons". Click on "Extensions", in the opened window remove all recently-installed suspicious browser plug-ins.
Optional method:
Computer users who have problems with polkadot giveaway scam website removal can reset their Mozilla Firefox settings.
Open Mozilla Firefox, at the top right corner of the main window, click the Firefox menu, in the opened menu, click Help.
Select Troubleshooting Information.
In the opened window, click the Refresh Firefox button.
In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Mozilla Firefox settings to default by clicking the Refresh Firefox button.
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Make sure your Safari browser is active, click Safari menu, and select Preferences....
In the opened window click Extensions, locate any recently installed suspicious extension, select it and click Uninstall.
Optional method:
Make sure your Safari browser is active and click on Safari menu. From the drop down menu select Clear History and Website Data...
In the opened window select all history and click the Clear History button.
Remove malicious extensions from Microsoft Edge:
Click the Edge menu icon 
(at the upper-right corner of Microsoft Edge), select "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious browser add-ons and click "Remove" below their names.
Optional method:
If you continue to have problems with removal of the polkadot giveaway scam website, reset your Microsoft Edge browser settings. Click the Edge menu icon (at the top right corner of Microsoft Edge) and select Settings.
In the opened settings menu select Reset settings.
Select Restore settings to their default values. In the opened window, confirm that you wish to reset Microsoft Edge settings to default by clicking the Reset button.
- If this did not help, follow these alternative instructions explaining how to reset the Microsoft Edge browser.
Summary:
Commonly, adware or potentially unwanted applications infiltrate Internet browsers through free software downloads. Note that the safest source for downloading free software is via developers' websites only. To avoid installation of adware, be very attentive when downloading and installing free software. When installing previously-downloaded free programs, choose the custom or advanced installation options – this step will reveal any potentially unwanted applications listed for installation together with your chosen free program.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a pop-up scam?
Pop-up scams are deceptive messages designed to trick users into performing certain actions (e.g., transferring cryptocurrency, downloading files, installing software, disclosing vulnerable information, etc.).
What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?
Pop-up scams usually have but one goal - to generate revenue for their designers. The schemes can profit by absconding with cryptocurrency or payments, selling obtained data, proliferating malware, and similar.
I have sent cryptocurrency to the address presented in the "Polkadot giveaway" scam, can I get my money back?
Cryptocurrency transactions are virtually irreversible; hence, you will be unable to retrieve what you have transferred.
Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?
Pop-up scams are promoted on various untrustworthy/malicious websites. They are seldom visited intentionally. Users can have such sites force-opened by malicious apps installed onto their systems or access them via mistyped URLs. Scam websites are often endorsed by deceptive browser notifications/ intrusive ads, or dubious webpages using rogue advertising networks.
Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?
Combo Cleaner is capable of scanning visited sites and issuing warnings when they are suspicious or malicious (this also included pages that run pop-up scams). Therefore, you will be warned immediately, and access to such websites will be restricted.
Outstanding!
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