Phishing Criminals Steal $70,000 Using Beeple’s Hacked Twitter Account

Around $70,000 was stolen using Beeple’s hacked Twitter account with a phishing link posted on his Twitter.

Famous digital NFT artist Mike Winkelmann’s (Beeple) Twitter account was hacked, and it has been sharing a phishing link that can hack and steal crypto from another person’s crypto wallet once clicked.

Beeple has been a target of hackers and NFT phishing scams with his large following and popularity online.

Phishing is the deceptive activity of sending emails pretending to be from trustworthy companies in order to encourage individuals to divulge personal information, such as passwords and credit card details.

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ugh we’ll that was fun way to wake up. ?

Twitter was hacked but we have control now. Huge thanks to @garyvee ‘a team for quick help!!!! ???

— beeple (@beeple) May 22, 2022

Phishing Links To A Fake Louis Vuitton Site

The link posted on Beeple’s hacked Twitter account directs users to a shady website and steals their funds. The link goes to a fake website that showcases collaboration with Louis Vuitton, an elite fashion brand.

The tweet was staged, making people believe it’s Beeple: “Been working on this with LV for a long time behind the scenes. 1000 unique pieces… official raffle below”. The phishing link is also inserted into the tweet but is now deleted.

Many famous NFT personalities have posted tweets warning people of the phishing scam following the hacking incident.

Beeple’s compromised account was posting like it was a legitimate Louis Vuitton collaboration. Zeneca, an NFT influencer, has also tweeted a warning to the NFT space. Other people have joined forces to warn other NFT enthusiasts to be vigilant.

Phishing is the act of sending fake emails from trustworthy firms to steal personal information like passwords and credit card numbers (Tripwire).

Taking The Bait

Once users are led to the fake website and link their wallets to it, the action triggers a mint and then proceeds to send 1 ETH. However, the phishing website isn’t designed to dry your wallets, which is a common trend with other NFT phishing scams.

Sadly, many NFT collectors and fans of Beeple had no clue that the digital artist’s Twitter account was breached, and they were lured to the trap and ended up losing their funds. According to reports, the victims lost 35 ETH or roughly $70,000.

The malicious phishing link is still on Beeple’s Twitter bio. Zeneca further emphasized to not click on malicious links and not link your wallet to unknown or unverified websites.

ETH total market cap at $249 billion on the daily chart | Source: TradingView.com

Beeple’s tweet regarding a raffle connected to collaboration with Louis Vuitton sounded legitimate or authentic because they had a collaboration way back in 2019. Unfortunately, for some followers of Beeple, it pays to always verify a hundred times before connecting your wallet, even to seemingly legit sites.

Beeple Regains Control Of Twitter Account

Beeple is now able to regain control of his account and posted a warning on Twitter: “Stay safe out there; anything too good to be true IS A F*CKING SCAM.”

Beeple’s “Everydays – The First 5000 Days” NFT was sold for $69 million. The most that he had ever sold before was $100 for a piece – and the rest was history.

Beeple also has more than 2.5 million followers all over social media, making him a target for hackers eyeing crypto wallet funds. 

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Featured image from Cryptonary, chart from TradingView.com