Canadian rap superstar Drake's X (formerly Twitter) account was compromised, with hackers using it to promote a fraudulent Solana-based memecoin named 'Anita'.
Account Hack and Scam
Messages were posted to Drake's account, which has over 39 million followers, falsely claiming the token was launched in partnership with the crypto betting platform Stake. The posts included a contract address for the '$ANITA' token and featured a cartoon character associated with the project before being removed.
Link to Drake's Tour
The fraudulent coin shared a name with the rapper’s upcoming Anita Max Wynn Tour in Australia and New Zealand, further leveraging Drake's brand to add legitimacy to the scam. The name 'Anita Max Wynn' itself is a play on the gambling phrase 'I need a max win.'
Consequences of the Hack
Despite the brief window of promotion, the memecoin saw approximately $5 million in trading volume before traders recognized the fraud and ceased buying, according to DexScreener data.
Hacking social media accounts remains a common tactic for scammers in the cryptocurrency world. By leveraging the fame and trust of celebrities, they create an appearance of legitimacy. In addition to Drake, other musical artists like Wiz Khalifa and Cardi B have also fallen victim to similar hacks.
