Active threat
Category hub
X (Twitter) scam alerts
X's paid-verification model has made checkmark impersonation a primary scam vector — fake support, fake project founders, and drainer-link replies under high-reach crypto tweets. Independent research by ZachXBT and others links X-distributed drainer kits to hundreds of millions in 2024 losses.
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What this is
X scams cover fraud whose initial vector is the X (Twitter) platform — paid-verified impersonator accounts, drainer-link replies under crypto announcements, fake project support DMs, and AI-generated giveaway/airdrop notifications.
Red flags to watch for
- Verified-checkmark account with handle slightly off from the real one (extra letter, swapped character)
- First reply under a crypto project tweet links to a 'claim' / 'airdrop' / 'mint' site
- DM from 'official support' for a wallet/exchange/protocol — real support never DMs first
- Airdrop notification post-CT (Crypto Twitter) trends require wallet signature
- Quote-tweet AI-bot account promising guaranteed signals
Live cases from the GACS feed
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What to do if you've been targeted
- 1
Block and report the account
Use X's Report -> Fraud or scam. Mass-reporting accelerates suspension.
- 2
Warn your followers
Quote-tweet a clear warning under the scam post so others see it. CT communities self-police effectively.
- 3
Revoke wallet approvals
If you signed anything, go to revoke.cash and revoke every active approval on the compromised wallet.
- 4
Report the receiving wallet
Submit the attacker address to gacs.app, Chainabuse, and the destination exchange.
- 5
Activate Shield
Save the handle and attacker wallet to your free GACS Shield.
FAQs
How do I report a scammer on X?
Profile/post -> ... -> Report -> Fraud or scam. For impersonation of you or a brand, use the dedicated form at help.x.com/forms/account_access/impersonation.
I signed a drainer transaction from an X reply — what do I do?
Immediately move remaining funds to a fresh wallet (new seed, not derived). Revoke all approvals via revoke.cash. Treat the compromised wallet as burned.
Are X Premium 'verified' accounts trustworthy?
No. X Premium ($8/month) grants the blue checkmark with no identity verification — Premium accounts have been used to impersonate Apple, the SEC, and major newsrooms in market-moving spoofs. Only the gold (organisation) and grey (government) checkmarks indicate documented verification, and even those have had verified lapses.
Why do drainer-link replies always appear first under official project tweets?
Bots monitor high-reach crypto accounts and auto-reply within seconds, so the scam reply ranks first by recency. The replier usually pays for Premium so their reply pins above unverified ones. Treat the first reply under any crypto-project tweet as untrusted until you verify the linked domain on the project's official site.
How do I report a scam to GACS?
Submit the wallet address, website, phone number, or social handle at gacs.app. Each report is cross-checked against CryptoScamDB, URLhaus, and on-chain analysis before publication. Activate your free GACS Shield to monitor follow-on activity tied to the same actor.
Is the GACS Shield really free?
Yes. Activating your free Shield gives you unlimited scans, saved history, weekly alerts, and a watchlist — no card, no trial. There is no paid scanner tier.
Related scam profiles & guides
Activate your free GACS Shield
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Get My Free Scam AlertsAuthoritative sources
Independent primary sources used to check and corroborate the guidance on this page.
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Official US channel for reporting internet-enabled fraud and cybercrime.
- US Federal Trade Commission — ReportFraud
Consumer fraud reporting and published enforcement data.
- UK Action Fraud
UK national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime.
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Canada's central repository for fraud reports and scam alerts.
