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Remove polo4.me (Virus Removal Instructions) - updated Jan 2021

removal by Olivia Morelli - - | Type: Adware
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polo4.me – a dubious website that supports the Marco Polo app

polo4.me PUPpolo4.me is a dubious app that can be found on official stores but can also travel in software bundles

polo4.me is a questionable website that offers users the installation of Marco Polo application created by Joya Communications Inc. Unfortunately, the app is known to disturb users' web browsing sessions on Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, and other browsers by injecting them with pop-ups, banners, deals, offers, in-text links, auto-play ads, and similar unwanted content. While PC and macOS users can be victims of this adware,[1] the unwanted program is most prominent in Androids and iPhones. Users also complained about receiving strange text messages from the app, asking to click on a suspicious link.[2] polo4.me should not be trusted, as the questionable activity can lead to malware[3] infections, data leak or money loss.

Summary
Name polo4.me
Type Adware
Infiltration Google Play, App Store, bogus networks, and third-party software packages
Compatible with Windows, Android, macOS, iOS
Affected browsers Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Opera, and others
Symptoms Intrusive ads disturbing internet browsing, unauthorized text messages sent to users in the contact list
Elimination Use security software or our guide below. After removal, scan your device with ReimageIntego to make sure it is in a fully working state

Initially, polo4.me adware might not cause any harm, as it is a legitimate application offered on official stores. However, not all apps that come from official sources are entirely safe, and polo4.me is one of them. Rogue programs often prompt users to interact with the commercial content, or click on certain links to achieve its goals. 

The primary purpose of the suspicious application is displaying sponsored links and ads, in order to increase the revenue to its developers. However, polo4.me links are not always safe, and users who are not attentive enough can get themselves in trouble. The app might force the user to land on an unsecured website that has malware strains in it.

Therefore, we advise users not to interact with suspicious links and other content the app shows and remove polo4.me from iPhone, Android, Windows OS or iOS devices immediately. This adware program might even try to lure you into scams that aim to swindle money or personal information from the user. Be aware of such scamming messages as they can force you to face big monetary losses or reveal private data to complete strangers.

Despite being available on the official stores, polo4.me adware can enter machines with the help of software bundling. The optional install is included within the download manager and often hidden under Advanced installation mode. Thus, users often miss the step by picking Recommended settings. This is one of the reasons why this ad-supported application is also recognized by the term polo4.me virus.

polo4.me viruspolo4.me is a potentially unwanted application that plagues Android, iPhone, PC and Mac users

Another concern when it comes to polo4.me is information gathering. The app is known to collect personal data using third-party services. The information is harvested with the help of such technologies as cookies and beacons.

We use a third-party Service Provider (defined below) to automatically log information about you and your computer or mobile device, and how you use and interact with the Service.

Such information might refer to the user's name, surname, email address, residence address, browser type used, OS used, and various browsing activity-related data such as links clicked, pages entered, offers search for, bookmarks saved, and similar. Later on, these details are very likely to be used to provide attractive-looking offers to you.

In general, the app acts similarly to malware, as it sends out text messages from the host phone without the owner's consent. Therefore, such operation of the adware is suspicious, to say the least. Furthermore, as long as it is a PUP, PUPs such as adware apps are capable of modifying browsers' homepage and new tab URL zones. polo4.me might also make such changes to your browser apps (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Explorer, Safari).

If you have lately been bothered by this adware and its activities, you should opt for the polo4.me removal process. This type of task can be carried out in two different techniques. The first one is known as the automatical version which involves antivirus software such as ReimageIntego while the other one requires cleaning both the operating system and web browsers on your own. Find detailed instructions at the end of this article.

polo4.me adware

Adware is hidden as an optional component in software bundles

Software bundling is the most common distribution technique used by freeware developers and PUP authors. While many question the integrity of the practice, it is widely used, but most end users are not aware of it. Therefore, it is vital to find out how to bypass unwanted applications during the installation of free software downloaded from the internet.

Experts[4] recommend following these simple tips:

  • Choose legitimate sources for your downloads. Avoid third-party file sharing sites;
  • When installing a new program, make sure you read ToS and Privacy Policy (never install applications that do not provide such documents);
  • When prompted, pick Custom or Advanced installation settings (avoid Recommended/Quick ones at all costs);
  • Remove all the pre-checked marks next to add-ons, media players, system optimizers, and similar useless software;
  • Make sure you run anti-malware software[5] at all times.

Uninstall polo4.me virus from Android, iPhone, PC, and Mac

To remove polo4.me ads from your device, several steps must be executed. Down below, you will find detailed instructions on how to eliminate potentially unwanted applications from the system, as well as how to clean your browsers afterward. As soon as polo4.me removal is complete, make sure you run PC repair software like ReimageIntego for best results.

To get rid of polo4.me virus from Android, follow these steps:

  • Power off your phone
  • Press the Power button and immediately press and hold both the Volume Up and Volume Down
  • Once the device boots, you will be in the Safe Mode
  • Go to Apps and uninstall Marco Polo and any other suspicious entries from your phone
  • Reboot to exit Safe mode

To eliminate polo4.me from iPhone or iPad, follow these instructions:

  • Power off your phone
  • Turn it back on, and, as soon as the device light up, hold down Volume down button until you see Apple logo
  • Once the device boots, you will be in the Safe Mode
  • Now, select Settings > Storage
  • Select the app you want to delete and select Delete app
  • Repeat the above to eliminate all the suspicious entries on your iOS

You may remove virus damage with a help of ReimageIntego. SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner and Malwarebytes are recommended to detect potentially unwanted programs and viruses with all their files and registry entries that are related to them.

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What to do if failed?
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Reimage Intego has a free limited scanner. Reimage Intego offers more through scan when you purchase its full version. When free scanner detects issues, you can fix them using free manual repairs or you can decide to purchase the full version in order to fix them automatically.
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Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Reimage, try running SpyHunter 5.
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Alternative Software
Different software has a different purpose. If you didn’t succeed in fixing corrupted files with Intego, try running Combo Cleaner.
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To remove polo4.me, follow these steps:

Erase polo4.me from Windows systems

To remove polo4.me adware from Windows, follow these instructions:

To remove polo4.me from Windows 10/8  machines, please follow these steps:

  1. Enter Control Panel into Windows search box and hit Enter or click on the search result.
  2. Under Programs, select Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 1
  3. From the list, find entries related to polo4.me (or any other recently installed suspicious program).
  4. Right-click on the application and select Uninstall.
  5. If User Account Control shows up, click Yes.
  6. Wait till uninstallation process is complete and click OK.Uninstall from Windows 2

If you are Windows 7/XP user, proceed with the following instructions:

  1. Click on Windows Start > Control Panel located on the right pane (if you are Windows XP user, click on Add/Remove Programs).
  2. In Control Panel, select Programs > Uninstall a program.Uninstall from Windows 7/XP
  3. Pick the unwanted application by clicking on it once.
  4. At the top, click Uninstall/Change.
  5. In the confirmation prompt, pick Yes.
  6. Click OK once the removal process is finished.

Delete polo4.me from Mac OS X system

Mac users can follow these guidelines to get rid of the unwanted app:

If your macOS is displaying some infection symptoms, proceed with the following guide:

Remove polo4.me from Applications folder:

  1. From the menu bar, select Go > Applications.
  2. In the Applications folder, look for polo4.me-related entries.
  3. Click on the app and drag it to Trash (or right-click and pick Move to Trash)Uninstall from Mac 1

To fully remove polo4.me, you need to access Application Support, LaunchAgents, and LaunchDaemons folders and delete relevant files:

  1. Select Go > Go to Folder.
  2. Enter /Library/Application Support and click Go or press Enter.
  3. In the Application Support folder, look for any dubious entries related to polo4.me and then delete them.
  4. Now enter /Library/LaunchAgents and /Library/LaunchDaemons folders the same way and terminate all the polo4.me-related entries.Uninstall from Mac 2

Eliminate polo4.me from Internet Explorer (IE)

Remove dangerous add-ons:

  1. Open Internet Explorer, click on the Gear icon (IE menu) on the top-right corner of the browser
  2. Pick Manage Add-ons.
  3. You will see a Manage Add-ons window. Here, look for polo4.me and other suspicious plugins. Click on these entries and select Disable.Remove add-ons from Internet Explorer

Change your homepage if it was altered:

  1. Open IE and click on the Gear icon.
  2. Select Internet Options.
  3. In the General tab, delete the Home page address and replace it by your preferred one (for example, Google.com).
  4. Click Apply and then select OK.Reset IE homepage

Delete temporary files:

  1. Press on the Gear icon and select Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing history, click Delete…
  3. Select relevant fields and press Delete.Clear temporary files from Internet Explorer

Reset Internet Explorer:

  1. Click on Gear icon > Internet options and select Advanced tab.
  2. Select Reset.
  3. In the new window, check Delete personal settings and select Reset again to complete polo4.me removal.Reset Internet Explorer

Uninstall polo4.me from Microsoft Edge

Remember that you have to reset MS Edge after the elimination of the dubious program is complete:

Delete unwanted extensions from MS Edge:

  1. Select Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and pick Extensions.
  2. From the list, pick the polo4.me-related extension and click on the Gear icon.
  3. Click on Uninstall at the bottom.Remove extensions from Edge

Clear cookies and other browser data:

  1. Click on the Menu (three horizontal dots at the top-right of the browser window) and select Privacy & security.
  2. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  3. Select everything (apart from passwords, although you might want to include Media licenses as well, if applicable) and click on Clear.Clear Edge browsing data

Reset MS Edge if that above steps did not work:

  1. Press on Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager.
  2. Click on More details arrow at the bottom of the window.
  3. Select Details tab.
  4. Now scroll down and locate every entry with Microsoft Edge name in it. Right-click on each of them and select End Task to stop MS Edge from running.Reset MS Edge

If this solution failed to help you, you need to use an advanced Edge reset method. Note that you need to backup your data before proceeding.

  1. Find the following folder on your computer: C:\\Users\\%username%\\AppData\\Local\\Packages\\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe.
  2. Press Ctrl + A on your keyboard to select all folders.
  3. Right-click on them and pick DeleteAdvanced MS Edge reset 1
  4. Now right-click on the Start button and pick Windows PowerShell (Admin).
  5. When the new window opens, copy and paste the following command, and then press Enter:

    Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers -Name Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)\\AppXManifest.xml” -VerboseAdvanced MS Edge reset 2

Instructions for Chromium-based Edge

Delete extensions from MS Edge (Chromium):

  1. Open Edge and click select Settings > Extensions.
  2. Delete unwanted extensions by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chromium Edge

Clear cache and site data:

  1. Click on Menu and go to Settings.
  2. Select Privacy and services.
  3. Under Clear browsing data, pick Choose what to clear.
  4. Under Time range, pick All time.
  5. Select Clear now.Clear browser data from Chroum Edge

Reset Chromium-based MS Edge:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. On the left side, pick Reset settings.
  3. Select Restore settings to their default values.
  4. Confirm with Reset.Reset Chromium Edge

Remove polo4.me from Mozilla Firefox (FF)

Remove dangerous extensions:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click on the Menu (three horizontal lines at the top-right of the window).
  2. Select Add-ons.
  3. In here, select plugins that are related to polo4.me and click Remove.Remove extensions from Firefox

Clear cookies and site data:

  1. Click Menu and pick Options.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security section.
  3. Scroll down to locate Cookies and Site Data.
  4. Click on Clear Data…
  5. Select Cookies and Site Data, as well as Cached Web Content and press Clear.Clear cookies and site data from Firefox

In case polo4.me did not get removed after following the instructions above, reset Mozilla Firefox:

  1. Open Mozilla Firefox browser and click the Menu.
  2. Go to Help and then choose Troubleshooting Information.Reset Firefox 1
  3. Under Give Firefox a tune up section, click on Refresh Firefox…
  4. Once the pop-up shows up, confirm the action by pressing on Refresh Firefox – this should complete polo4.me removal.Reset Firefox 2

Get rid of polo4.me from Google Chrome

If the adware has left any rogue changes or objects in your Google Chrome web browser, eliminate all of them by completing the following steps:

Delete malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

  1. Open Google Chrome, click on the Menu (three vertical dots at the top-right corner) and select More tools > Extensions.
  2. In the newly opened window, you will see all the installed extensions. Uninstall all the suspicious plugins that might be related to polo4.me by clicking Remove.Remove extensions from Chrome

Clear cache and web data from Chrome:

  1. Click on Menu and pick Settings.
  2. Under Privacy and security, select Clear browsing data.
  3. Select Browsing history, Cookies and other site data, as well as Cached images and files.
  4. Click Clear data.Clear cache and web data from Chrome

If the above-methods did not help you, reset Google Chrome to eliminate all the polo4.me-components:

  1. Click on Menu and select Settings.
  2. In the Settings, scroll down and click Advanced.
  3. Scroll down and locate Reset and clean up section.
  4. Now click Restore settings to their original defaults.
  5. Confirm with Reset settings to complete polo4.me removal.Reset Chrome 2

Erase polo4.me from Safari

Remove unwanted extensions from Safari:

  1. Click Safari > Preferences…
  2. In the new window, pick Extensions.
  3. Select the unwanted extension related to polo4.me and select Uninstall.Remove extensions from Safari

Clear cookies and other website data from Safari:

  1. Click Safari > Clear History…
  2. From the drop-down menu under Clear, pick all history.
  3. Confirm with Clear History.Clear cookies and website data from Safari

Reset Safari if the above-mentioned steps did not help you:

  1. Click Safari > Preferences…
  2. Go to Advanced tab.
  3. Tick the Show Develop menu in menu bar.
  4. From the menu bar, click Develop, and then select Empty Caches.Reset Safari

After uninstalling this potentially unwanted program (PUP) and fixing each of your web browsers, we recommend you to scan your PC system with a reputable anti-spyware. This will help you to get rid of polo4.me registry traces and will also identify related parasites or possible malware infections on your computer. For that you can use our top-rated malware remover: ReimageIntego, SpyHunter 5Combo Cleaner or Malwarebytes.

Stream videos without limitations, no matter where you are

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Even if you employ a secure browser, you will not be able to access websites that are restricted due to local government laws or other reasons. In other words, you may not be able to stream Disney+ or US-based Netflix in some countries. To bypass these restrictions, you can employ a powerful Private Internet Access VPN, which provides dedicated servers for torrenting and streaming, not slowing you down in the process.

Data backups are important – recover your lost files

Ransomware is one of the biggest threats to personal data. Once it is executed on a machine, it launches a sophisticated encryption algorithm that locks all your files, although it does not destroy them. The most common misconception is that anti-malware software can return files to their previous states. This is not true, however, and data remains locked after the malicious payload is deleted.

While regular data backups are the only secure method to recover your files after a ransomware attack, tools such as Data Recovery Pro can also be effective and restore at least some of your lost data.

About the author
Olivia Morelli
Olivia Morelli - Ransomware analyst

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This entry was posted on 2019-08-13 at 07:24 and is filed under Adware, Viruses.

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