Crypto Scammers Hijack Twitter Accounts: A Cautionary Tale

The Twitter Takeover: A Scammer’s Delight

In recent weeks, the crypto community has become a hotbed of hacking, with over eight Twitter accounts of well-known figures hijacked by scammers. The infamous group has managed to loot nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency, prompting widespread concern among users and industry leaders alike.

Unmasking the Scammers

According to blockchain investigator ZachXBT, these hacks were not your run-of-the-mill incidents. He discovered that various wallets connected to the phishing scams were linked on-chain. “While most of these attacks stemmed from SIM swaps, it appears that some accounts may have been compromised through a Twitter admin panel,” ZachXBT noted, adding an air of mystery to the methods used.

Who Got Hacked?

• Cole Villemain: Founder of Pudgy Penguins
• Steve Aoki: DJ and NFT collector
• Pete Rizzo: Editor of Bitcoin Magazine
• Mira Murati: Chief Technology Officer of OpenAI
• Peter Schiff: Well-known economist and crypto critic

Even surprising figures like Peter Schiff found himself caught in the crossfire, his account hacked to promote a dubious tokenized gold link. Who would’ve thought that a crypto hater like Schiff would have their account co-opted in this manner?

Quick Response or Slow Reaction?

Once a scammer gains control of a hacked account, phishing tweets go out almost immediately. “The slow response times from Twitter Support have left some of these scams live for hours or even days,” lamented ZachXBT, raising crucial questions about platform security.

A Call to Action: Better Security Practices

To fend off these attackers, ZachXBT suggests using security keys instead of SMS-based two-factor authentication. After all, no one wants to wake up one day to find their account promoting dubious links while their hard-earned cryptocurrency goes missing.

Recent Phishing Attempts: A Cautionary Tale

One of the more alarming hacks occurred on June 2 when Mira Murati’s account tragically shared a phishing link touting a fake airdrop for an ERC-20 token called OPENAI. The scam post racked up an astonishing 79,600 views within just an hour before it was deleted. Scammers even restricted replies to maintain control and prevent warnings from being shared.

As the crypto world continues to evolve, it’s evident that users must remain vigilant. The road to better security is paved with caution, awareness, and, hopefully, fewer scams.