On Monday evening, a group of hackers took over OpenAI‘s X account to promote a cryptocurrency scam.
At around 10 p.m. UTC, the @OpenAINewsroom account, which typically shares updates about OpenAI and has nearly 54,000 followers, posted an advertisement for a fake token called “$OPENAI.” The post was later deleted.
We’re very happy to announce $OPEANAI: the token bridging the gap between Al and blockchain technology
All OpenAI users are eligible to claim a piece of $OPENAI’s initial supply. Holding $OPENAI will grant access to all of our future beta programs.
The post also contained a link to a fake website impersonating OpenAI.
Before the attack, a member of OpenAI’s security team had sent an internal memo warning staff about the growing number of account takeovers targeting company employees.
OpenAI’s Twitter accounts have been targeted by cryptocurrency scams multiple times. Earlier, on Sunday, the account of Jason Wei, a researcher at OpenAI, was used to promote the launch of the fake $OPENAI token.
Even Jakub Pachocki (Chief Scientist at OpenAI) and Mira Murati (Chief Technology Officer) had their accounts briefly compromised in similar incidents.
Several high-profile figures have also had their X accounts hacked to “shill” memecoins, with the most recent case involving football superstar Kylian Mbappe’s account.
Related: Kylian Mbappe Hacked on X Account to Shill Memecoin
In August, cryptocurrency scams surged, leading to a loss of up to $310 million, making it one of the most damaging months in 2024. According to blockchain security firm CertiK, only around $10.3 million was recovered or refunded, leaving a net loss of $300.6 million.
The largest scam of the year occurred on July 18, targeting India’s WazirX exchange, resulting in losses exceeding $230 million, accounting for 86.4% of the total losses that month. While unconfirmed, investigations suggest that North Korean cybercriminal groups are likely behind the attack.
