YouTube helps recover hacked channel that attempted XRP crypto scams

Prominent YouTuber DidYouKnowGaming was able to regain access to his YouTube channel, which an anonymous bad actor hacked to promote XRP (XRP) cryptocurrency scams.

While hacking into YouTube channels to promote scams has been a long-standing method of targeting unwary investors, the number of creators on the platform reporting hacks has increased. Most recently, DidYouKnowGaming — a YouTuber with 2.4 million subscribers — warned his Twitter followers about a hack.

so sorry you're having to deal with this! first, we'll need to get some quick info from you & then we'll connect you w/ a specialist team who helps restore account access. follow us & we'll be able to DM you the info you need!

— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) April 28, 2023

After gaining access to the account, the hacker changed the YouTuber’s profile and cover images to Ripple’s logo, as shown below.

YouTube’s swift intervention ensured damage control by preventing XRP hackers from interacting with the channel’s subscribers. Recently, one of the largest YouTube creators, Linus Tech Tips, also reported losing access to his channels.

While the exploit used by the hackers to gain access to YouTube accounts remains a mystery, the victim YouTubers have always been able to recover their accounts and deleted videos, if any.

*hacker voice* I'm in pic.twitter.com/GRY6udVsZv

— DidYouKnowGaming (@didyouknowgamin) April 29, 2023

The threat to crypto investors from such hacks is prominent, considering the rise of deepfakes, which are fake impersonation videos generated by artificial intelligence (AI) tools.

Hackers often create deepfakes of Tesla CEO Elon Musk and other entrepreneurs to misguide crypto investors.

Yikes. Def not me.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 25, 2022

Concerns escalated as Chinese tech giant Tencent launched a new deepfakes creation tool, allowing users to impersonate anyone for 1,000 yuan ($145).

As reported by Cointelegraph, the service will be used by Tencent to host live-streamed infomercials for the Chinese demographic.

Related: Here’s how to quickly spot a deepfake crypto scam — cybersecurity execs

Crypto investors across the world use YouTube to learn about and research the world of cryptocurrencies, blockchain and Web3.

To learn more about Web3 development, check out these five YouTube channels that can help investors and enthusiasts with their research.

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