A user lost 6,000 XRP after falling for a scam that promised to double their money. The case is one of several alleged scammers trying to target XRP Ledger users, prompting a warning from Ripple’s former chief technology officer.
False Contributions to Conceal Self-Disguise
David Schwartz, known online as JoelKatz, wrote alert on X after what he described as a massive increase in fake airdrops and giveaways. He warned that almost all such offers seen on social media are fraudulent, and that anyone who claims to be him on Instagram, Telegram, or other similar applications is committing fraud.
The warning came along with reports from other people in the group XRP images space. The XRPL blockchain researcher, Bithomp, announced a scam in which hackers send unsolicited NFTs to users’ wallets.
SCAM ALERT: There has been a recent increase in airdrop and giveaway scams targeting XRPL users recently. Any such posts you see are scams.
Anyone claiming to be me on Instagram, Telegram, or anywhere else could be a fraud.
Stay safe XRP family.
— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) May 14, 2026
NFTs carry misleading messages – one example reads “Confirmation: Safe XRPL verify message” – and are bundled with Hidden Offerings. Once a user signs or accepts, their XRP or other assets can be instantly destroyed. Wietse Wind from the Xaman wallet team has also urged users to block any unknown ads without delay.
What Fraudsters Are Really Doing
These methods are not difficult but they are effective. Hackers build fake social media profiles like Schwartz, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, and related projects XRPL images. One of Schwartz’s fake Instagram accounts was stopped by a member of the public last month and reported on the platform.
Phishing it also does a great job. Fraudulent websites encourage users to link their wallets or accept a transaction under the guise of a reward. When finished, the bag is removed. Some services still use the oldest trick in the book – asking users to send XRP first with the promise of receiving more.
Fraudsters are not exploiting flaws in the XRP Ledger itself. They rely entirely on fooling people.
Get the latest weather updates at #XRPL.
Fraudsters trick users into signing NFT Buy Offers with misleading memos such as: “Verification: Safe XRPL verify message.” The donation can be accepted and spend a lot of money $XRP.
Always double check:
– what kind of shopper are you… pic.twitter.com/nNl6Mj4Ryl
– Bithomp (@bithomp) May 11, 2026
Secure Your Wallet Before Our Time Runs Out
Schwartz also made it clear that no official organization offers random donations or asks users to send money, share private keys, or reveal seed passwords. His verified X account is the only place users should look to connect with him.
For protection, users are advised to avoid unknown links, refuse to connect wallets to unverified websites, and report suspicious accounts. Tools from Bithomp and Xaman can help users review and block the expected data before any damage is done. Acting quickly in the event of a fraud can reduce losses, but full recovery is not possible.
Image taken from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
