Hackers fail to cash in after breaching X accounts
These accounts were used to promote a Solana-based memecoin named HACKED, attempting to swindle unsuspecting users into investing in the fraudulent cryptocurrency.
A group of crypto scammers appears to have missed out on a major payday after hacking several high-profile social media accounts on 18 September, only to walk away with just a few thousand dollars. The compromised accounts, including Lenovo India, Yahoo News UK, and film director Oliver Stone, were used to promote a Solana-based memecoin called HACKED.
The hackers took an unusual approach by openly admitting the accounts had been breached and encouraging followers to invest in the token, claiming they could all profit together. However, this tactic backfired. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT revealed that top traders made less than $1,000, and the scammers only earned about $8,000 after removing liquidity from the coin.
Despite the initial pump, the HACKED token quickly collapsed, with its market cap falling to just $3,100. ZachXBT speculated that the affected accounts may have granted permissions to the same site or app, reminding users to review their connected apps for security. This is the latest instance of hackers targeting social media accounts to promote dodgy cryptocurrencies.