Scammers steal nearly $1M after hijacking 8+ prominent crypto twitter accounts

Over the previous few weeks, a group of scammers has hijacked more than 8 Twitter accounts coming from popular figures in the crypto area to promote phishing frauds. The group has actually taken nearly $1 million worth of crypto so far, according to blockchain sleuth ZachXBT. In a June 9 Twitter thread, ZachXBT described that he had discovered several wallets “linked on chain” that are connected to phishing frauds promoted by the just recently hacked accounts. “While most of these attacks were the result of a SIM Swap it seems other accounts were possibly taken with a [Twitter admin] panel,” ZachXBT noted. Over the previous couple of weeks we have actually seen 8+ account takeovers linked to the exact same group of scammers as evident by how their addresses are linked on-chain. I hope @TwitterSafety examines each attack closely as they have actually led to nearly seven figures stolen. @miramurati … pic.twitter.com/ypnqyb5oNy— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) June 8, 2023

The accounts belong to figures such as Pudgy Penguins founder Cole Villemain, DJ and NFT collector Steve Aoki and Bitcoin Magazine editor Pete Rizzo. Oddly enough, gold supporter and impassioned crypto hater Peter Schiff likewise saw his account hacked to promote a suspicious link associating with tokenized gold in Decentralized Finance. “I hope Twitter Safety examines each attack closely as they have actually resulted in almost seven figures taken,” ZachXBT stated, including that:” When the scammer gains control of a Twitter account, phishing frauds are tweeted out almost right away. Slow reaction times from Twitter Support have actually led to a few of these tweets remaining up for numerous hours and even days.” Tweeted phishing scams. Source: ZachXBT, TwitterThe blockchain sleuth prompted individuals to utilize a security secret as opposed to choosing SMS-based two-factor authentication. Another one of the account hacks highlighted by ZachXBT includes OpenAIs CTO Mira Murati. Related: Uniswap scam alert: Fraudsters impersonate executives and develop phony websiteOn June 2, members of the crypto community fired off cautions about her account sharing a phishing link promoting a fake airdrop for an ERC-20 token called OPENAI. This particular post was live for roughly an hour and was seen 79,600 times and retweeted 83 times prior to it was deleted. Significantly, the fraudsters had actually limited who might reply to the tweet in a quote to stop individuals putting cautions on it. In late May, Arthur Madrid, the co-founder and CEO of metaverse platform The Sandbox was also subject to the exact same style of Twitter account hack that saw the promo of a phony SAND airdrop. It is unclear if this specific hack is linked to the group of hackers determined by ZachXBT. Publication: $3.4 B of Bitcoin in a popcorn tin– The Silk Road hackers story

Over the past couple of weeks, a group of fraudsters has hijacked more than eight Twitter accounts belonging to prominent figures in the crypto space to promote phishing scams. In a June 9 Twitter thread, ZachXBT outlined that he had revealed numerous wallets “linked on chain” that are connected to phishing scams promoted by the just recently hacked accounts. “I hope Twitter Safety examines each attack closely as they have resulted in practically seven figures stolen,” ZachXBT stated, adding that:” When the scammer gets control of a Twitter account, phishing rip-offs are tweeted out almost right away. Another one of the account hacks highlighted by ZachXBT consists of OpenAIs CTO Mira Murati.

Other Questions People Ask

What methods did scammers use to steal nearly $1M after hijacking 8+ prominent crypto Twitter accounts?

The scammers primarily utilized SIM swapping techniques to gain control of the Twitter accounts, although some accounts may have been compromised through a Twitter admin panel. Once they hijacked the accounts, they quickly tweeted out phishing scams that targeted followers. This rapid dissemination of fraudulent content contributed to the nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency theft reported by blockchain investigator ZachXBT.

Who were the prominent figures affected by the scammers stealing nearly $1M after hijacking their Twitter accounts?

Among the victims of the Twitter account hijacking were notable figures in the crypto space, including Pudgy Penguins founder Cole Villemain, DJ and NFT collector Steve Aoki, and Bitcoin Magazine editor Pete Rizzo. Even Peter Schiff, a known critic of cryptocurrency, had his account hacked to promote a suspicious link related to tokenized gold. The involvement of such high-profile individuals highlights the widespread impact of these scams on the crypto community.

What actions can Twitter users take to protect themselves from scammers stealing nearly $1M after hijacking accounts?

To enhance security against potential account hijacking, Twitter users should consider using security keys instead of relying on SMS-based two-factor authentication. This method provides a more robust layer of protection against unauthorized access. Additionally, users should remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity or phishing attempts immediately to Twitter Safety to help mitigate risks associated with these scams.

What was the response from the crypto community regarding the scammers stealing nearly $1M after hijacking Twitter accounts?

The crypto community reacted with urgency and concern, as evidenced by ZachXBT's warnings about the phishing scams being promoted through the hacked accounts. Many community members expressed frustration over the slow response times from Twitter Support, which allowed fraudulent tweets to remain visible for extended periods. This situation has prompted calls for more stringent security measures from Twitter to protect users from similar attacks in the future.

How did the scammers manage to promote phishing scams after hijacking 8+ prominent crypto Twitter accounts?

After gaining control of the Twitter accounts, the scammers quickly tweeted out phishing links that lured followers into fraudulent schemes. The speed at which these tweets were posted was alarming, often occurring almost immediately after the accounts were compromised. This tactic not only exploited the trust of followers but also showcased the need for faster intervention from Twitter to prevent such scams from proliferating.