Fake Airdrops: How to Stay Safe on Polygon
How fraudulent airdrops use urgency and unfamiliar contracts to trick wallet users.
Why this matters on Polygon
An unsolicited token or airdrop is not a free invitation to interact. If claiming requires a suspicious approval or a transaction with unclear effects, do not sign it.
Polygon provides an EVM-compatible environment with its own network balances and token representations.
Polygon uses EVM-style addresses and token contracts, which means the same address can hold balances on several EVM networks at once. A balance that is missing on Polygon may simply be sitting on a different network.
Polygon: what to pay attention to
- Security: Check network selection and contract addresses before signing, especially when an asset also exists on Ethereum.
- Assets and tokens: Confirm that the token is held on Polygon and verify its contract before moving or swapping it.
- Costs: Compare Polygon transaction costs with bridge and liquidity costs when consolidating small balances.
A Polygon checklist for this topic
- Send a small test amount first when an address or route on Polygon is new to you.
- Verify the contract address on Polygon from an independent source rather than a ticker or a logo.
- Read what a Polygon transaction or signature request actually authorizes before approving it.
- Treat unexpected tokens or links that appear in a Polygon wallet as untrusted until verified.
Bridge from Polygon
Compare Polygon transaction costs with bridge and liquidity costs when consolidating small balances. On the BNB Smart Chain side: verify BEP-20 contracts and distinguish legitimate assets from unsolicited tokens.
The bridge guide below is informational; any transaction depends on current network conditions and the route shown in the bridge interface.
Polygon → BNB Smart Chain BRIDGE GUIDE