On Friday, there was a hack on the Supreme Court of India’s YouTube page. To advertise a phony investment scheme involving XRP, hackers took control of the channel and erased all of the prior videos. Even after the US cryptocurrency payments company Ripple alerted investors to frauds and AI deepfakes, the number of these occurrences has kept rising.
Hackers Take Over Supreme Court’s Youtube Channel
According to ANI on September 20, the official YouTube channel of the Indian Supreme Court was breached to broadcast a deepfake of Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and advertise a phony XRP investment scheme.
Hackers deleted earlier recordings on the YouTube channel and renamed it ‘Ripple’, enticing viewers to participate in the fraudulent scheme. Since then, YouTube has deleted the hacked account for breaking its rules, and the crew is working to get the channel back to how it was before.
The court informed the public in a statement saying, “This is to inform all concerned that the YouTube channel of Supreme Court of India has been taken down. The services on the YouTube channel of the Supreme Court of India will be resumed shortly.”
Ripple and XRP Experiences Increasing Deep Fakes Scams
Ripple has sent out multiple alerts warning the cryptocurrency community and investors to be wary of deepfakes and phishing URLs. The CEO of Ripple, Brad Garlinghouse, also emphasized the recent rise in popularity of deepfake scam videos. Scammers are creating YouTube videos by superimposing fresh text over old footage from previous Ripple events.
Due to a previous cryptocurrency scam, Ripple and YouTube have a history of legal action. YouTube was sued by the cryptocurrency payment firm for its inability to regulate the amount of scams on the network. It’s unclear, though, if the fintech company would be open to engaging in a new court dispute with YouTube.
After the Ripple vs. SEC lawsuit nearly came to an end, pending a likely appeal by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, XRP-related scams have been on the rise. The court has made it clear to the SEC that XRP is not a security, yet they still have to pay a $125 million fine.
Final Thoughts
The hacking of the Indian Supreme Court’s YouTube channel to promote a fraudulent XRP investment scheme highlights the growing issue of deepfake and cryptocurrency-related scams. Despite multiple warnings from Ripple and CEO Brad Garlinghouse about the dangers of such scams, bad actors continue to exploit platforms like YouTube, preying on unsuspecting investors.
This breach not only undermines public trust in cryptocurrency investments but also raises concerns about the security measures of prominent institutions and social media platforms. The incident underscores the need for stronger safeguards and more vigilant monitoring to prevent similar attacks in the future.
Reece Conner
Reece Conner is a leading expert in the cryptocurrency industry, known for delivering cutting-edge insights and practical guidance to both newcomers and seasoned investors. With a background in finance and technology, Conner bridges the gap between complex blockchain concepts and real-world applications.