Fake social media accounts: The rise of Cointelegraph impersonators, explained
Impersonation scams using fake social media accounts posing as Cointelegraph staff are rising, exploiting platform changes to defraud businesses.Summary
Fake social media accounts impersonating Cointelegraph sales representatives and journalists are increasingly targeting businesses, often promising PR coverage on platforms like Telegram, X, and LinkedIn before soliciting payment to a personal USDT wallet. This tactic is part of a broader surge in crypto social-engineering scams in 2025, which also includes fake CoinMarketCap journalists demanding remote access and scammers cloning the Empire podcast brand to install malware. The rise is fueled by X's overhaul of its verification system, where paid Premium checks no longer guarantee authenticity, creating a confusing landscape for users. The typical playbook involves moving conversations to private channels, demanding fees or 'expedited coverage,' and using pressure tactics. Cointelegraph advises readers to verify outreach by checking author pages on their official website, confirming email domains (@cointelegraph.com), being wary of pivots to Telegram, and never paying reporters directly, as editorial and commercial functions are strictly separated.
(Source：Cointelegraph)