Mon Sep 23 22:49:57 UTC 2024: ## OpenAI Newsroom Account Hacked in Latest Crypto Scam
**San Francisco, CA** – OpenAI’s official press account on X (formerly Twitter) has been compromised by cryptocurrency scammers for the third time in recent months. The account, OpenAI Newsroom, which was created to announce product and policy updates, posted a fraudulent message about a new OpenAI-branded blockchain token called “$OPENAI.”
The message claimed that all OpenAI users were eligible to claim a portion of the token’s initial supply, and holding $OPENAI would grant access to future beta programs. The post linked to a phishing website designed to mimic the legitimate OpenAI website, urging users to connect their cryptocurrency wallets. This is a common tactic used by scammers to steal login credentials and potentially drain victims’ wallets.
The fake post and website remain active as of this writing, along with reposts and replies promising further information about the nonexistent token. Comments on the malicious post have been disabled, making the hack less obvious. OpenAI and X have been contacted for comment.
This isn’t the first time OpenAI accounts have been targeted in phishing campaigns. In June 2023, OpenAI CTO Mira Murati’s account posted a similar message promoting the fictional $OPENAI token. Accounts belonging to OpenAI chief scientist Jakub Pachocki and OpenAI researcher Jason Wei were also hacked in January 2024, used to publish identical scam posts.
The recent surge in cryptocurrency scams underscores the growing threat posed by these fraudulent activities. In 2023, Americans lost $5.6 billion to crypto scams, a 45% increase from the previous year. The FBI reports that over 50,000 scams were reported in the first half of 2024, costing consumers nearly $2.5 billion.
This incident serves as a stark reminder for users to exercise caution and verify information before interacting with any suspicious links or messages, especially those related to cryptocurrency.
First Piper 