Crypto influencers have been struck by SIM swap attacks, from prolific YouTubers to industry traders. These attacks are used to access online accounts, such as cryptocurrency wallets, and drain funds.
The most notable victims have been YouTubers Cryptomedicated and The Moon. Cryptomedicated had more than $23,000 in Bitcoin stolen, and The Moon was hit for about $150,000 in Ethereum tokens.
Crypto trader and investor Scott Melker also disclosed on Twitter that he was hacked and he had to take measures to protect his accounts.
In the same vein, security firm KELA said it became aware of an active SIM-swapping campaign targeting crypto assets and wallets. According to KELA, the attackers used social engineering tactics to gain access to the mobile numbers associated with their target’s accounts.
The use of SIM swap attacks is a growing problem in the online security landscape. To stay safe, crypto users should: use a strong alphanumeric password; avoid using the same password for different accounts; turn on two-factor authentication; and get an authentication app that won’t be affected by a SIM swap attack, like the Google Authenticator.
