The official X-account of popular rapper Drake was hacked yesterday to promote a fraudulent memecoin named “Anita”, according to blockchain detective ZachXBT. Hackers used the account to post messages claiming that the token was created in collaboration with Stake, the gambling platform Drake has been working with since 2022. These messages included a contract address and a character related to the project before they were removed, and the so-called official X-account of the project was quickly suspended.
Drake has previously voiced his support for digital assets, including sharing a post on Instagram featuring Bitcoin comments from Michael Saylor. However, his ties to the crypto community were recently tested when a 20-year-old social media influencer accused him of not fulfilling promises in a crypto investment deal, with the influencer claiming to have suffered a loss of $2 million. These accusations were made during a livestream with DJ Akademiks.
Hacking social media accounts to promote fake projects or tokens is a widespread tactic among cybercriminals in the crypto world. They specifically target well-known individuals and brands to give their fraudulent schemes a semblance of legitimacy.
This incident thus joins a series of recent hacks in the crypto world. In October, the X-account of Andy Ayrey, the founder of Truth Terminal, was hacked to promote a token named “IB”, which yielded a profit of $600 million for the hacker. Last week, the X-account of the Cardano Foundation was compromised, with attackers spreading false information about an SEC lawsuit and promoting a fraudulent coin.
These events underscore the need for vigilance in the crypto space, especially when it comes to the authenticity of messages from well-known figures. It is crucial for users to always verify the source and be cautious with investments promoted via unexpected channels.