Published on september 21, 2024, 12:38 am
Image source: Fox News
```json [ { "TLDR": "The Supreme Court of India's YouTube channel was hacked by cryptocurrency scammers who rebranded it for a Ripple scam. The scammers impersonated Ripple's CEO in a fake livestream to trick viewers into investing. YouTube took down the channel for violating guidelines. This incident reflects a trend of crypto scams targeting popular channels on YouTube." } ] ```
The YouTube channel of the Supreme Court of India was recently targeted by cryptocurrency hackers in a Ripple and XRP scam. The hackers managed to take control of the verified channel, which had a substantial following of over 217,000 subscribers. They transformed the channel into a Ripple-themed platform to execute their fraudulent scheme.
Under the guise of a fake livestream video featuring Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse, the hackers attempted to lure unsuspecting viewers into investing in the scam by promising unrealistically high returns. Additionally, they tampered with the channel’s identity by changing its name, URL, and removing all previous content uploaded by the legitimate owner.
Following this breach, YouTube promptly responded by removing the compromised channel due to violation of community guidelines. The scammers’ modus operandi included promoting phishing links during the fake XRP livestream events. Clicking on these deceptive links would prompt users to connect their crypto wallets, granting hackers unauthorized access to withdraw funds without additional authentication.
This incident is not an isolated case, as several other prominent channels on YouTube have fallen victim to similar cryptocurrency scams in recent months. For instance, a well-known gaming channel called DidYouKnowGaming faced a comparable situation where scammers rebranded the account and erased existing videos.
Despite these challenges, platforms like YouTube are actively combating such illicit activities. In another instance earlier this year involving Ben&Ben – a popular pop band with millions of followers – their YouTube account was hacked to broadcast misleading XRP advertisements. However, swift action from YouTube helped Ben&Ben recover part of their account and mitigate further damage caused by the scammers.
In light of these cybersecurity threats targeting influential channels across diverse industries, it is crucial for content creators and viewers alike to remain vigilant against potential scams in the digital landscape.
Original article posted by Fox News
