Welcome to the Wild World of Twitter Hacks
In a tale that sounds both alarming and oddly entertaining, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi found himself the latest victim in the ongoing saga of Twitter account hijackings. The dreary date was September 2, and instead of tweeting about the flourishing Indian economy or the latest cricket matches, Modi’s account, narendramodi_in, fell into the hands of hackers known as ‘John Wick.’ No, not Keanu Reeves, but a tech-savvy gang looking to score big.
What Happened? A Quick Run-Down
Picture this: Modi’s 2.5 million followers receiving tweets urging them to tenderize their wallets for the PM National Relief Fund for Covid-19. Not only that, but they were instructed to make it rain in Bitcoin and Ethereum. You’d think the Prime Minister was offering a 2-for-1 discount on crypto donations.
- Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) wallet addresses were splashed across the timeline.
- Alarmingly, the tweets claimed, "Now India begin with cryptocurrency. Kindly Donate Bitcoin."
Ultimately, however, no one appeared to be sweet-talked into sending funds, as blockchain data revealed a big, fat zero in donations.
Hacker Identity Crisis: A Study in Mixed Messaging
To make matters more entertaining, the self-proclaimed hackers could not decide whether they were in or out. They issued a statement claiming they did not hack e-commerce giant Paytm Mall, despite a competing account bragging about it on a Russian forum. Talk about a PR debacle!
The Bigger Picture: A Mounting Trend
Modi’s Twitter fiasco is part of a broader narrative where hackers seem to have a soft spot (and maybe a bone to pick) with world leaders. On July 15, a wave of chaos hit Twitter when 130 high-profile accounts, including those of former U.S. President Barack Obama and ex-Vice President Joe Biden, were seized under similar circumstances. The hackers provided an enticing 2-to-1 Bitcoin giveaway, and thankfully, authorities caught up with 17-year-old Graham Ivan Clark, who was allegedly running the show.
What Does This Mean for Crypto in India?
In the backdrop of all this, India is wrestling with its own cryptocurrency regulations. Earlier this year, Indian courts lifted a blanket ban on crypto trading, giving rise to numerous exchange platforms. However, the government’s recent remarks about potentially re-banning cryptocurrencies have left many scratching their heads. Are they trying to protect citizens or just seeing how far they can tighten the noose before it snaps?
Final Thoughts
In a technological age where hacking seems almost as trendy as avocado toast, the Modi Twitter account debacle serves as a stark reminder: always watch your tweets! And for followers, let’s keep our pennies in our pockets unless we’re sure “donations” are coming from the right source.
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