Sam Altman‘s OpenAI X account was hacked in a crypto scheme that promoted the fake “$OPENAI” token through a phishing website that targeted users.
On Monday, an attempt was made to commit cryptocurrency fraud by compromising Sam Altman’s OpenAI X account. The hacker impersonated and sent a message promoting a new phony token named $OPENAI. The message encouraged the audience to visit a phishing page and input their crypto wallet credentials.
OpenAI X account was compromised in a crypto scam
According to the company, the breach affected its newsroom on X (previously Twitter), the account used to publish company-related information. The false tweet asserted that a new blockchain token, “$OPENAI,” had been introduced, an unfounded claim.
According to the message, a portion of the token would be allocated to all users to grant them early access to the forthcoming prototype versions.
This breach is the most recent in a string of comparable incidents that have targeted OpenAI accounts on X. In the past few months, even the most senior members of the firm’s team, including Chief Scientist Jakub Pachocki and researcher Jason Wei, have had their accounts hacked and utilized to facilitate similar cryptocurrency scams.
Details of the Phishing Scam
The fraudulent post was published on the @OpenAINewsroom account at approximately 6:24 PM ET. It contained numerous errors, including the incorrect name for the AI firm owned by Sam Altman: $OPEANAI. Additionally, the link was directed to a fraudulent site that replicated the firm’s website.
The website contained a hyperlink labeled “CLAIM $OPENAI” that was designed to deceive users into linking their cryptocurrency accounts. The absence of a comment section in the article exacerbated the users’ difficulty in identifying the fraud. Although the post was withdrawn, it was visible for nearly an hour and could have been viewed by a significant number of followers.
This type of scam frequently aims to obtain user credentials, which in turn grants the perpetrators access to the users’ cryptocurrency portfolios. The connection of wallets to fraudulent websites may result in the disclosure of personal information or the loss of funds.
OpenAI Account Breaches in the Past
The recent breach of Sam Altman’s OpenAI X account is not the first of its kind. In the past year, OpenAI has been the victim of cybercrimes, in which scammers have attempted to impersonate company officials on a variety of platforms.
Mira Murati, the Chief Technology Officer, was also compromised in June 2023, for example. In the same vein, her account posted a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme that was comparable to the one that was published on the OpenAI newsroom account.
The World Health Organization and Yahoo News UK are among the organizations that have experienced cyberciminal attacks, and these incidents are not unfamiliar to X. In particular, the cybercriminals exploit these intrusions to deceive their respective victims into a variety of fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes, including pump and dump schemes.
The company, which is led by Sam Altman, has since acknowledged the breach and is conducting an investigation into the matter. The organization advised users to exercise caution and refrain from engaging with posts or links that purport to provide cryptocurrency incentives.
Despite the recent security concerns, the company is progressing with its most recent innovations. The company is preparing to introduce an advanced voice mode for ChatGPT, which will provide users with improved voice interaction capabilities. This new feature is designed to enhance accessibility and broaden the manner in which users can interact with the AI assistant.
