OpenAI X Account Hacked to Promote Fake $OPENAI Token
Last Monday (23), the official account of the OpenAI company (the company behind ChatGPT) on the social network X (formerly Twitter) was hacked, spreading false information about a new cryptocurrency called “$OPENAI”.
The hackers posted messages promoting a supposed OpenAI-branded token and encouraged users to connect their wallets to a phishing site to “claim” the coins from the initial offering. But it was all a scam.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the post contained errors, including misspelling the coin’s name as “$OPEANAI” instead of “$OPENAI.” The post promised token holders early access to future OpenAI beta programs. However, the cryptocurrency in question does not exist.
The phishing site, which had the address “token-openai.com,” used a deceptive URL to trick users into providing their wallet credentials. The hackers could then drain the digital assets from victims’ wallets.
OpenAI suffers X/Twitter account attack
Despite clear signs that it was a scam, the post remained active for a while. The author of the post also disabled comments to make it harder to identify the attack. As of press time, OpenAI had not responded to requests for comment or made an official statement on the case.
Anonymous sources revealed that prior to the incident, a member of OpenAI’s security team sent out an internal memo warning employees about the increase in account hijacking attacks involving the company’s employees. The document included guidance on how to protect your social media accounts.
This isn’t the first attack linked to OpenAI. In June 2023, for example, the account of Mira Murati, the company’s CTO, was also hacked, promoting a similar fake cryptocurrency scam. Other OpenAI employees have also been targeted in recent attacks.
Cryptocurrency scams of this type are on the rise around the world. According to a recent FBI report, Americans lost an estimated $5.6 billion to such scams in 2023, and this number is expected to rise even further this year.
To avoid falling for scams like this, it is recommended to avoid interacting with suspicious links and report them immediately.