Decentraland X Account Breached, Promoting Fake MANA Airdrop Scam

YEREVAN (CoinChapter.com) — On September 19, 2024, the official Decentraland X account suffered a security breach, leading to a fraudulent MANA airdrop scam. The attack targeted unsuspecting users, tricking them into connecting their crypto wallets to a phishing site. This event has left many users vulnerable to financial loss, raising concerns in the crypto community.

Fake MANA Airdrop Traps Decentraland Users

Blockchain security firm PeckShield first reported the Decentraland X account hack, advising users to avoid interacting with the account until the issue is resolved. The attackers employed a phishing link disguised as a MANA airdrop to deceive followers into believing they could claim tokens. Consequently, they pinned the phishing post on Decentraland’s account, ensuring maximum visibility and leading more users to connect their wallets.

Once users connected their wallets to claim the fake MANA airdrop, the attackers gained access to their funds. PeckShield recommended avoiding all links and engaging with Decentraland’s account until official updates confirmed that the breach had been resolved.

Phishing Link Results in Financial Loss

The attack began at around 01:50 a.m. UTC on September 19. When users linked their wallets to the phishing site, they quickly realized their funds were missing. In the Decentraland fake MANA airdrop scam, attackers enhanced the deception by disabling comments on their posts, which lent an unwarranted legitimacy and led many to believe it was a genuine airdrop.

As the scam unfolded, PeckShield swiftly urged Decentraland users to revoke any permissions granted to the fraudulent site. Furthermore, they advised users to diligently monitor Decentraland’s official channels for updates on the restoration of their X account.

Solana Meme Coin Scam Follows Decentraland Breach

The Decentraland fake MANA airdrop scam quickly followed another significant social media breach, this time involving a Solana meme coin. On September 18, hackers took control of several high-profile X accounts, including those of Lenovo India, film director Oliver Stone, and Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr. They used these accounts to promote a meme coin scam named $HACKED, promising quick profits by inflating the token’s price.

Despite the widespread promotion of $HACKED, the scam did not yield significant profits. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT reported that the hackers only made around $8,000, while Dexscreener data revealed a total trading volume of $279,000. Following a 35% price drop, the meme coin currently holds a market cap of just $2,600.

Stay Vigilant Amid Growing Crypto Scams

Above all, ZachXBT stresses the need for regularly checking X account settings and revoking permissions for any apps that are no longer in use. These unused apps can serve as potential entry points for attackers.