Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse sounds the alarm: As crypto surges, so do the scams preying on unsuspecting investors.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse issued a stark warning on X Wednesday: a surge in market optimism has unleashed a wave of impersonators. Scammers are now mimicking the official Ripple YouTube channel, preying on unsuspecting users eager to ride the crypto wave.
Crypto Crime Wave: Scammers Swiped $2.1 Billion in First Half of 2025!
A chilling milestone has been reached in the murky world of cryptocurrency: losses from scams skyrocketed to a staggering $2.1 billion in the first six months of 2025. This surpasses the previous high of $2 billion set in 2022 and nearly matches theentireloss total for 2024, painting a grim picture of escalating crypto crime. Is your digital wallet safe?
XRP Flirts with 2018 Glory: Rocketing to $3.66!
XRP sent shockwaves through the crypto market yesterday, briefly touching $3.66 (per Nansen data) and nearly eclipsing its 2018 Coinbase peak of $3.84. Could this be the start of a historic breakout? Despite a slight pullback to $3.19 in the last 24 hours, analysts remain bullish, hinting at further upside potential. Is XRP ready to reclaim its crown?
Bitcoin blazes past $119,000, a 7% surge in just two weeks! Meanwhile, Ether ignites, soaring over 31% to $3,644. Crypto winter? More like a summer heatwave.
“Beware! As crypto markets surge, so do the scams. A brazen new attack is targeting the XRP community on YouTube, with scammers impersonating Ripple’s official account. Don’t get caught in their trap – vigilance is your best defense!”
“We’re staying vigilant, and we need your help. If it glitters like gold but feels like lead, report it. Your skepticism is our best defense.”
Source: Brad Garlinghouse
Scammers stealing accounts
Ripple’s official X account warns of scammers hijacking YouTube channels, morphing them into convincing Ripple impersonations.
“Reminder: Ripple or our execs will NEVER ask you to send us XRP,” Ripple said.
A brazen XRP scam, masked as a Ripple-sponsored giveaway, snared unsuspecting users as recently as Tuesday, according to Twitter user XtinaRP. The deceptive scheme dangled the promise of free XRP to bait victims.
An X user reported that a free XRP giveaway scam was active on Tuesday. Source: XtinaRP
“Red alert! Scammers are impersonating Ripple with a fake 100M XRP giveaway, using hijacked YouTube accounts with a massive 176K following to spread the deceit. Rippleneverdoes giveaways, folks. XtinaRP warns: stay vigilant and don’t fall for this blatant scam!”
The official Ripple account on YouTube has over 81,000 subscribers. YouTube didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ripple sued YouTube over impersonators before
Ripple’s 2021 lawsuit against YouTube wasn’t just about impersonators; it was a battle cry against a platform allegedly profiting from deception, with Ripple demanding YouTube answer for the damages inflicted by scam artists thriving in its video ecosystem.
The lawsuit unveiled a chilling tactic eerily similar to today’s scams: a razor-sharp spear-phishing attack. Imagine your account hijacked, wiped clean, then resurrected as a crypto wolf in sheep’s clothing – a fake celebrity promising a free XRP bonanza.
In a surprising turn, Ripple and YouTube buried the hatchet in March 2021, ending the lawsuit. Garlinghouse revealed the truce, stating both parties were united in a mission to eradicate crypto scams from the platform.
Other crypto firms impersonated on Google too
Beyond Ripple: Crypto Impersonation Epidemic Spreads. A chilling trend plagues the crypto sphere: Scam Sniffer reveals a surge in fraudulent Google ads targeting crypto firms. Searching for legitimate crypto companies now risks landing on expertly crafted traps, poised to steal your funds. Is your next click safe?
“DeFi Danger Zone: Ditch Google or Kiss Your Crypto Goodbye! Scam Sniffer warns users are playing a high-stakes game with their wallets when relying on Google search for crypto sites.”
Source: Scam Sniffer
Criminals are now wielding Punycode attacks, warns Scam Sniffer. This sneaky tactic exploits the way web browsers display international domain names. Imagine a fake website address that looks almost identical to the real thing, designed to trick you into handing over your credentials.
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