High-Profile Accounts Compromised in Crypto Scam
Over the weekend, hackers targeted the social media accounts of Visa and Hollywood actor Dean Norris to promote fraudulent crypto tokens, raising concerns about the growing trend of using compromised high-profile accounts for crypto scams.
Visa’s Facebook Compromise
On January 26, hackers gained access to Visa’s official Facebook page and utilized it to promote a suspicious Solana-based crypto token. The attackers falsely claimed that the token was part of Visa’s plan to release its own crypto, stating, “Remember back in 2014, we said in 11 years we’d have a coin called ‘VISA.’ Well, it’s 2025, and here we are!”
Despite the announcement, the crypto community reacted with skepticism and cautioned industry participants against the scam. Critics also pointed out the irony of using Facebook to target crypto investors, as it is not a platform typically frequented by the target audience.
Although the token’s market cap reportedly reached $6 million, the attackers executed a rug pull, causing the price to plummet and resulting in losses for investors. Visa has not issued an official statement regarding the incident.
Visa, a prominent financial institution, has been actively involved in the crypto space, forging partnerships with companies like Coinbase, Transak, Circle, and Solana to bridge the gap between traditional finance and cryptocurrencies.
Dean Norris Hack
On January 25, actor Dean Norris’ X account was compromised to promote a memecoin called $DEAN. The hackers manipulated an image of Norris holding a sign featuring the token’s name to lend credibility to the scam.
However, Norris addressed the situation in a video on January 26, clarifying that his platform had been hacked. He discredited the token, asserting that he had no connection to it, and expressed disappointment over the negative reception on Reddit. Norris emphasized that he rarely uses social media platforms and stated, “This is Dean Norris actually, and that whole crazy crypto sh*t was a complete fake scam. I was hacked.”
Overall, the incidents involving Visa and Dean Norris underscore the importance of safeguarding high-profile accounts against hacking attempts and highlight the need for increased vigilance in the crypto community to combat fraudulent schemes.