The XRP community has received a severe warning about scams spreading online. Across the crypto market, fake accounts and impersonation schemes have been proliferating. Scammers often copy or imitate big names in the industry to trick people into giving away money. Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer has stepped in to alert XRP holders and remind them to be extra careful.
Ripple CTO Flags Fake Video Of Brad Garlinghouse
David Schwartz, Ripple’s Chief Technology Officer, recently warned the public about a fake video on X. The video featuring Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse claimed to share XRP’s future plans. It was not real and instead pushed fraudulent links that could have put community members at risk.
Schwartz reacted quickly when he saw the scam post. He replied with a GIF that read, “Scam Alert.” By speaking out, he reminded the XRP community that they must question what they see and verify the source before acting.
Criminals are ready to target XRP holders by using the image of Garlinghouse to make their content appear authentic. The fact that the bad actors used Garlinghouse’s image and voice shows how far they are willing to go. Schwartz’s response was not only a warning to XRP holders but also an effort to stop the video from spreading further.
Rising Wave Of Crypto Impersonation Scams
The scam video called out by Schwartz is part of a larger wave of impersonation cases. Crypto scammers are now using edited videos and digital tricks to spread false news. Many of these clips are created by taking real interviews or speeches and overlaying new words or fake promotions. Others are deepfakes, where advanced technology makes it appear as if a person said something they never actually intended to say.
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has become a top target in these attacks. The scammers now use his image and identity to lure XRP holders to fake websites that claim to offer rewards or crypto investment opportunities. These websites typically display a wallet address and request that users send funds to it. Once that happened, victims have no recourse to recover it. Because the scams look so professional, many users fall for them before realizing the truth.
Deepfakes make this risk even greater. Due to the difficulty in detecting, even for experienced users, these scams spread rapidly across social media. To fight back, Ripple announced last month that it joined TRM Labs’ Beacon network. The real-time crime response system works to catch crypto scams and stop fraud before criminals can cash out stolen money.
With Schwartz raising public alerts and Ripple building stronger defenses, the community has clear guidance. For anyone holding XRP, the warning is to stay alert, double-check all sources, and never trust random posts or videos that ask for funds.
