Crypto Social Media Accounts Hijacked to Promote Fraudulent Schemes π¨
Several high-profile social media accounts, especially those formerly known as “X” accounts (previously Twitter), have recently been targeted by hackers to promote deceptive cryptocurrency schemes. These incidents have exposed significant vulnerabilities in online security for social media platforms and the ease with which hackers can circumvent security measures.
7News YouTube Channel Hacked, Streams AI Elon Musk Crypto Scam π₯
- The 7News YouTube channel, boasting 1.71 million subscribers, fell victim to a hijacking where it was utilized to stream an AI-generated Elon Musk cryptocurrency scam. The fraudulent stream garnered over 100,000 viewers before being removed.
- Audiences were instructed to download a mobile application and deposit funds with the promise of doubling their investment. Subsequently, the main YouTube channel of Seven was suspended, prompting further investigations in collaboration with YouTube.
50 Centβs Twitter Account Compromised for GUNIT Pump-and-Dump Scheme ποΈ
The renowned pop star, 50 Cent, also known as Curtis Jackson, encountered a cyberattack on his Twitter account. Hackers attempted to introduce a new token named GUNIT through his account, sparking a pump-and-dump scheme that led to an astronomical 8,000% surge in trading activity before a sharp decline.
Mark Cubanβs Gmail Account Breached After Phishing Phone Call βοΈ
Billionaire investor, Mark Cuban, fell victim to a phishing attack that compromised his Gmail account. Cuban alerted his followers that any emails sent from his account post-3:30 pm PST on June 22 were not legitimate. This incident occurred shortly after Cuban had $870,000 stolen from his cryptocurrency wallet in a previous hack.
Why Are Twitter Accounts of Celebrities Being Hacked? π€
Several reasons contribute to the targeting of high-profile Twitter accounts by hackers:
- Wide Reach and Influence: Celebrities and influencers have a vast following, making it easy for scammers to reach a large audience.
- Trust and Credibility: Verified accounts are trusted sources of information, amplifying the impact of fraudulent messages when they are hacked.
- Ease of Information Spread: Twitter’s retweet feature enables quick dissemination of fraudulent content to a broad audience.
- Monetary Gains: Cryptocurrency scams offer potential for significant financial rewards, motivating hackers to exploit followers’ trust with fake schemes.
Conclusion π
The recent wave of social media account hijackings to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes underscores the critical need for enhanced online security measures. From the 7News YouTube channel to Metallica’s account, and 50 Cent’s Twitter to Mark Cuban’s Gmail, no account is immune to these attacks.
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