New York Post's X Account Hacked, Cryptocurrency Users Targeted

On May 5th, it was reported that malicious actors had gained unauthorized access to The New York Post's X account, using it to send fraudulent direct messages to cryptocurrency users on the social media platform. The scam was first identified on May 3rd by Alex Katz, the founder and CEO of Kerberus, who shared a screenshot of a message purportedly from writer and journalist Paul Sperry, sent via the official nypost account. The message invited users to participate in a podcast recording and requested contact through Telegram.

Network security engineer and NFT collector 'Drew' noted that the scammers did not post a Pump.fun address or wallet draining link, which is a common tactic in such scams. Instead, they used direct messages to communicate with users and then directed them to Telegram. Drew also observed that the scammers would block users from replying after sending the message to prevent the real New York Post team from noticing the account breach.

This incident is reminiscent of a similar case a few weeks prior, where The Defiant's X account was compromised and used to send direct messages. Blockchain sleuth ZachXBT highlighted the similarities between the two incidents, suggesting a potential pattern of targeting high-profile accounts to carry out scams.

The breach underscores the growing threat of social media account compromises, particularly in the cryptocurrency community. As more users engage with digital assets, the risk of falling victim to such scams increases. The incident serves as a reminder for users to remain vigilant and verify the authenticity of messages received from official accounts, especially when they involve requests for personal information or financial transactions.

In response to the breach, The New York Post has likely taken steps to secure its X account and prevent further unauthorized access. The incident also highlights the need for enhanced security measures on social media platforms to protect users from malicious actors. As the use of social media continues to grow, so too does the importance of safeguarding these platforms against cyber threats.