Multiple YouTube accounts belonging to famous Filipino musicians, including Ben&Ben, SB19, and Rico Blanco, were recently hacked and used to promote an XRP scam involving a deep fake video of Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse. The hackers uploaded a video falsely predicting that XRP would reach $4 and directed viewers to phishing websites to steal their funds. Ben&Ben, a nine-piece pop band with over three million YouTube followers, announced on Facebook that their account had been compromised. Their team worked to recover the account, which was live-streaming the scam during the recovery process. The band was able to regain partial control of their account, but some content from the attackers remained visible. The scam livestream has since ceased.
Similarly, the YouTube account of Filipino boyband SB19, with 3.6 million followers, was also hacked and used to promote the XRP scam. The band’s management swiftly recovered the account and reported the incident to the relevant authorities. Musician Rico Blanco, with over 700,000 followers, was another victim of the hack, although he has not yet made an official statement. Reddit users flagged his account as compromised, and it is currently blocked on YouTube for violating the platform’s guidelines. These incidents highlight the vulnerability of prominent social media accounts to hacking and the importance of ensuring robust security measures to protect user data and prevent fraudulent activities.
Scammers have been using deep fake videos of Brad Garlinghouse on YouTube for some time to perpetrate XRP scams. In December 2023, Reddit users identified a fraudulent video in which Garlinghouse allegedly asked XRP holders to send their coins to a specific address with the promise of receiving double the amount in return. These fraudulent advertisements were reported to Google after appearing between November and December 2023. Fake and scam crypto YouTube channels have been a persistent issue, with scammers exploiting the popularity of cryptocurrencies like XRP and Ripple to deceive users and steal their funds.
In late March 2023, Andy V, co-founder of the crypto podcast SPQR Media, uncovered a YouTube channel with 276,000 subscribers impersonating Brad Garlinghouse to promote an XRP airdrop scam. The scammer allegedly requested thousands of dollars in deposits for participation in the scam, which was also being funded for promotion on YouTube. Ripple responded to these scams by filing a lawsuit against YouTube, arguing that the platform should be held accountable for allowing fraudulent content on its platform. YouTube defended itself by stating that it could not be held liable for third-party content but acknowledged the need to improve its efficiency in removing crypto scams. Unfortunately, this crackdown has led to the takedown of legitimate cryptocurrency channels, causing discontent among popular content creators who rely on YouTube for their livelihood.
The recent hacking of Filipino musicians’ YouTube accounts to promote an XRP scam underscores the increasing threat of cybercrime in the digital age. As social media platforms become more prominent, they also become prime targets for hackers seeking to exploit user data and engage in fraudulent activities. It is crucial for individuals, businesses, and organizations to prioritize cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information and prevent unauthorized access to their accounts. Regular security audits, strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and employee training can help mitigate the risks associated with cyber threats and safeguard against potential hacks and scams. By staying vigilant and proactive in addressing cybersecurity concerns, users can minimize the likelihood of falling victim to malicious attacks and safeguard their online presence and assets.
