A Polymarket user lost $90,000 after clicking on a link in the comments section on the prediction markets platform. On the other end of the link: an X account posing as a legitimate Polymarket profile.
The post claimed that existing users of the international platform could click a link to join the US version of the app. The message promised that users would have access to “more complex, and meme-based betting events” that aren’t found on the international version:
While the X profile is now marked as a “parody” account, it was too late for the Polymarket user who followed the link and fell victim to a phishing attack. The person said that they would be making a statement to the police and the FBI regarding the theft.
questioned why Polymarket didn’t auto-freeze the account
In a follow-up post, the victim explained that they worked very hard to get their Polymarket account from $15,000 to $150,000 last year. They emphasized how it just took “one minute of not thinking clearly, a couple of taps,” and all the money was gone. They questioned why Polymarket didn’t auto-freeze the account after seeing a new IP address making substantial withdrawals:
The incident serves as a reminder of the risks posed by phishing scams. The growing popularity of prediction markets means that new scams will arise and catch people out if they don’t carefully verify links.
