- Supreme Court of India YouTube Channel Hijacked
- YouTube's Actions to Remove the Channel
- Ongoing Hacks on YouTube Accounts
The official YouTube channel of the Supreme Court of India was hijacked for a cryptocurrency scam featuring Ripple (XRP).
Supreme Court of India YouTube Channel Hijacked
On September 20, the official YouTube channel of the Supreme Court of India, with over 217,000 followers, was rebranded and used to run a cryptocurrency scam. Hackers renamed the channel, changed the URL, and deleted all previous videos. The channel was used to stream a fake video featuring Ripple Labs CEO Brad Garlinghouse, urging viewers to invest in the scam by promising unrealistic returns.
YouTube's Actions to Remove the Channel
YouTube later deleted the compromised channel, citing a violation of community guidelines. Fake XRP livestreams are often accompanied by phishing links, urging users to connect their crypto wallets. Once approved, hackers gain full access to the wallet, allowing them to withdraw funds without further authentication.
Ongoing Hacks on YouTube Accounts
Hacks on YouTube accounts remain frequent. In July, the YouTube channel of popular Filipino band Ben&Ben, with over three million followers, was also hijacked to livestream a fraudulent XRP advertisement. The band confirmed the hack on their official Facebook page, and their team worked to recover the channel. YouTube intervened and helped the band restore part of their account.
The number of YouTube account hacks for cryptocurrency scams continues to rise. Users are advised to be cautious of suspicious links and requests, especially in streams promising unrealistic returns.
