Ripple has issued a stark warning about a surge in sophisticated deepfake scams proliferating on YouTube, targeting users through the impersonation of its key executives, particularly CEO Brad Garlinghouse. These scams leverage convincing AI-generated videos simulating fake ‘live’ announcements designed to promote fraudulent XRP giveaways.
The deceptive campaigns typically involve attackers hijacking established YouTube channels, rebranding them to masquerade as official Ripple platforms. The deepfake videos then instruct viewers, under the guise of a limited-time offer, to send cryptocurrency or scan QR codes redirecting them to counterfeit websites aimed at stealing funds.
This latest wave underscores Ripple’s recurring struggle with impersonation schemes, which historically intensify during periods of heightened market activity around XRP. Despite entering a collaborative agreement years prior aimed at combating such fraud, YouTube’s response to Ripple’s takedown requests has been described as inconsistent and slow.
The sophistication of these AI-powered deepfakes highlights a growing threat landscape within the cryptocurrency sector. Ripple strongly urges the community to exercise extreme vigilance, verify information through official channels only, and never send funds in response to online giveaway promotions featuring executives.