Crypto scam: Supreme Court of India’s YouTube hacked

Hackers compromised the Supreme Court of India’s official YouTube channel to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme involving Ripple’s XRP token. 

The channel was taken over on September 20 and was quickly rebranded and used to livestream a fake video featuring Ripple (XRP) CEO Brad Garlinghouse, encouraging viewers to invest in the scam, according to the India Times. 

The hackers changed the channel’s name and deleted all previous videos to make the scam seem legitimate. The livestream also included phishing links asking viewers to connect their cryptocurrency wallets, per X screenshots.  

Once connected, hackers could take control of the wallets and steal funds without needing further permission from the user. One of the YouTube video’s icons read, “Ripple will hit $2 this month.” 

YouTube quickly responded by removing the channel, citing violations of its community guidelines. This is not the first time hackers have used popular platforms like YouTube to promote cryptocurrency scams.

In India, where the Supreme Court’s YouTube account was used to stream live hearings of major cases, the hack was especially concerning due to the court’s prominence.

Crypto scams

Cryptocurrency scams, especially those targeting users with fake investment opportunities, often take advantage of people’s unfamiliarity with digital currencies like XRP, which was created by Ripple Labs to facilitate cross-border payments. Hackers target high-profile platforms to add a veneer of credibility to their scams.

In July 2023, Attorney Jeremy Hogan’s Twitter account was hacked and used to promote fake XRP giveaways linked to the Ripple vs. SEC case. Fellow lawyers Jesse Hynes and James Filan warned the public about the compromised account and advised caution.

The Supreme Court’s channel is now offline, but this breach highlights growing concerns over online security, particularly as more public institutions use digital platforms to engage with the public.