The Aptos Foundation’s official Twitter account was recently hacked by scammers. According to a warning tweet from Aptos Labs, hackers have taken control of the @Aptos_Network Twitter account, using it to spread misinformation about fake APT antenna drops.
The scammers posted a tweet claiming Aptos was airdropping Season 2, distributing free codes, and directing users to a fake website asking them to hand over their digital wallets.
We have received an official communication from the Aptos Foundation @employee settled.
Latest tweet regarding file $APT The airdrop is fraudulent.
Please do not engage with this Tweet or the link provided.
– Aptos Labs (AptosLabs) July 6, 2023
Aptos Foundation’s Twitter account compromised
While responding to the situation, Aptos Labs, the company behind the Aptos Network, Certain Aptos Network Twitter account hacked.
“We are working with the Aptos Foundation to update the community as their Twitter account is locked,” the tweet said at the time.
In addition, it appears that the Twitter account of Mo Shaikh, CEO of Aptos, may also have been hacked as part of the attempt.
However, at this time, the Aptos Network account appears to have been recovered, although it is currently unclear how many people were victimized and how much money was lost in the scam.
We are back! the @employee Twitter account recovered.
Thanks to our partners @employee For being vigilant and prompt communication with the Aptos community during this time. https://t.co/6OZJT92oH6
– Aptos (@Aptos_Network) July 7, 2023
APT price trending at $7.11 | Source: APTUSDT on TradingView.com
Twitter Hacks: A Disturbing Trend in the Crypto World
The hacking of the Aptos Foundation Twitter account promoting a fake airdrop scam shows why cryptocurrency investors need to be careful. The Twitter accounts of cryptocurrency projects and celebrities are known to be frequently hacked in order to take advantage of unsuspecting followers. Scammers exploit FOMO (fear of missing out) on coins, airdrops, and NFT hype to steal funds.
Last month, the Twitter account of OpenAI’s CTO, Mira Moratti, was hacked to promote the fake dollar crypto-dollar OPENAI antenna drop. This appears to be the role of the Aptos Foundation.
The Aptos network is designed to unlock new tokens on the 12th of every month, and investors are preparing to release 4.54 million APT tokens on the 12th of July. Opening to $32.62 million.
It remains unclear how this will affect the value of APT, as prices sometimes drop or rise after previous coin unlocks.
APT is currently priced at $7.14 at the time of writing. The coin is down by 0.37% in the last day and on the weekly chart it is seeing losses of 2.08%. With a market capitalization of around $1.5 billion, the altcoin is ranked the 34th largest cryptocurrency in the market.
Featured image from Asia Crypto Today, chart from TradingView.com