In a security breach, the Twitter account of Ethereum (ETH) co-founder Vitalik Buterin, formerly known as X, was compromised. The hacker used Buterin’s account to promote a fraudulent NFT scheme.
In a now-deleted tweet, the hacked account falsely claimed that ConsenSys would be launching a commemorative NFT to celebrate the introduction of the Proto-Danksharding feature to the Ethereum network. The scam involved enticing victims with the promise of a free NFT and encouraging them to connect their wallets.
Tragically, once victims followed the link and connected their wallets, their funds were stolen.
Vitalik Buterin’s father, Dmitry Buterin, took to Twitter on September 9 to announce the hack and reassure followers that Vitalik was working to regain control of his account. Dmitry’s tweet read, “Disregard this post, apparently Vitalik has been hacked. He is working on restoring access.”
The scam has resulted in significant financial losses for those who fell victim to the fraudulent scheme. According to blockchain investigator ZachXBT, individuals who clicked on the deceptive link collectively lost over $691,000. The most valuable NFT stolen in this incident was a CryptoPunk #3983, estimated to be worth approximately $250,543.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and caution when engaging with cryptocurrency-related promotions and links on social media platforms. The cryptocurrency community continues to grapple with security challenges and efforts to protect users from such scams.
