Microsoft India’s Twitter account became a battleground for cyber trickery when hackers seized control, using it to peddle cryptocurrency scams. They posed as Roaring Kitty, a well-known trader, and baited followers with promises of GameStop crypto in a presale. But the catch was that anyone who took the bait risked losing their cryptocurrency assets to these scammers.
Cryptocurrency scammers seized control of the verified Microsoft India Twitter account, which boasts over 211,000 followers. They used it to impersonate Roaring Kitty, the infamous meme stock trader also known as Keith Gill.
Threat actors are exploiting Gill’s recent return to lure victims into downloading cryptocurrency wallet drainer malware. They’ve hijacked Microsoft India’s account, using it to reply to tweets and direct followers and other users on X to a malicious website (presaIe-roaringkitty[.]com).
This site falsely promises a chance to buy GameStop (GME) crypto in a so-called presale. However, anyone who connects their cryptocurrency wallet and authorizes transactions will have their assets stolen by the drainer service.
The chaos didn’t end there. Bots joined in, retweeting the hijacked account’s tweets to increase the reach of the malicious posts and ensnare more victims. Meanwhile, even the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s account fell victim to hackers in another corner of the digital world. They exploited a SIM-swapping loophole to spread fake news about Bitcoin ETFs, sending the market into a frenzy.
But the hacking spree didn’t stop with Microsoft. Other verified accounts, like those of Netgear, Hyundai MEA, and CertiK, were also compromised. It’s like a game of cat and mouse, with hackers targeting trusted accounts to deceive unsuspecting users.
And it’s not just Twitter users feeling the heat. Malicious cryptocurrency ads flood the internet, leading people into traps of scams and fake giveaways. According to experts, one particularly nasty scheme, known as ‘MS Drainer,’ stole a staggering $59 million from over 63,000 victims in just a few months.
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