Crypto hackers used the News24 Twitter account to promote a fake XRP airdrop, tricking users into investing in the digital currency. The hack occurred on July 15th, 2021, and the hackers posted messages claiming that News24 was giving away XRP tokens worth $10,000 for free. However, the messages were deleted, and News24 warned the public that they did not promote any such giveaways. The incident highlights the growing threat of cybercriminals in the crypto space, and users need to remain vigilant and double-check any claims of free crypto tokens.
India has recently seen a surge in cryptocurrency scams, with several high-profile Twitter accounts being compromised by hackers. News24, one of the leading news channels in India, fell victim to a cryptocurrency scheme when hackers breached their security and posted phishing links of a fake XRP drop. The hackers urged people to click on the links and potentially get conned.
Previous victims of such scams include India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and the profiles of the Indian Medical Association, the Indian Council of World Affairs, and Mann Deshi Mahila Bank. In the latest attack, the hackers took control of News24’s Twitter account and posted counterfeit Ripple events, such as an XRP airdrop. They attached compromised links regarding the event and even featured the image of Ripple’s CEO, Brad Galinghouse, to gain people’s trust. Unfortunately, there was no such airdrop, and some of the 1.4 million followers of News24 might have become victims of the scam.
India has emerged as a hotbed for such scams, with hackers compromising the official Twitter profile of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the end of 2021. The hackers published a malicious post that claimed the country has adopted bitcoin as legal tender and that the government has purchased 500 BTC, which will distribute to the population. It remains unknown how many people fell victim to the scam, but their number could have been substantial, considering that Modi has over 87 million followers.
Bad actors stepped in again a month later, breaching the security of the Twitter accounts of the Indian Medical Association, the Indian Council of World Affairs, and Mann Deshi Mahila Bank. They shared several tweets featuring Elon Musk, who seemingly promoted cryptocurrencies.
Apart from these scams, the cryptocurrency community has been warned about fake airdrops related to Ethereum layer-2 scaling solution – Arbitrum. Scammers flooded the space with fake airdrops of the project and phishing websites, which, upon clicking, can lead to financial loss for users. It’s important to note that the actual ARB token airdrop will occur on March 23, and consumers can view all necessary details and check their eligibility on the official website of the project.
In conclusion, it’s essential to stay cautious while dealing with cryptocurrency, as the virtual nature of these transactions attracts malicious actors. Always verify the authenticity of the information and the sources before making any investment decisions.