• Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary’s Twitter account was hacked on Thursday and used to promote a crypto giveaway scam.
• The now-deleted tweet promised 5,000 BTC and 15,000 ETH, and instructed users to first send their own digital assets to verify their wallet addresses.
• Crypto giveaway scams are one of the most prevalent forms of scams in the industry and often involve hacked accounts of famous people, politicians, celebrities, and companies.
On Thursday, Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary’s Twitter account was hacked and used to promote a crypto giveaway scam. The now-deleted tweet promised 5,000 BTC and 15,000 ETH, and instructed users to first send their own digital assets to verify their wallet addresses. This is a common tactic used by scammers in order to steal digital assets and make away with the funds sent.
The scam was widely shared across O’Leary’s Twitter account, which is followed by more than 982,000 users. With an accompanying image featuring the famed investor himself, the tweet read: “Everyone who wants to get free crypto now has a chance here!” However, it was soon discovered that this was a fraudulent scheme, as the O’Leary Twitter account falsely claimed that Mr. Wonderful had said on CNBC that he planned to give away some cryptocurrencies.
Crypto giveaway scams are one of the most prevalent forms of scams in the industry and often involve hacked accounts of famous people, politicians, celebrities, and companies. These individuals, who are leaders in companies such Tesla, MicroStrategy, and Binance, are commonly targeted. Scammers impersonate well-known figures like Elon Musk, Michael Saylor, and CZ in order to promote their fraudulent schemes using fake accounts.
Such scams can be incredibly damaging to those who fall victim to them, as they can be tricked into sending digital assets to a scammer who will not return them. As such, it is important to be aware of the potential dangers that exist when dealing with cryptocurrency, and to thoroughly vet any potential investments before sending any funds. Furthermore, it is important to be wary of crypto giveaways that promise large amounts of digital assets, as these are often too good to be true.