According to reports, Ripple has sounded the alarm over a wave of new scams targeting XRP holders on YouTube.
XRP recently climbed past its 2018 high of $3.61, driving its market cap above $200 billion. That success has brought out a swarm of fraudsters.
They’re hijacking active channels, rebranding them with official logos, and posting fake “double your XRP” giveaways. Victims send coins — and they never see them again.
Between 2021 And 2023, Social‑Media Scams Drained Billions
Between 2021 and 2023, social‑media scams drained nearly $3 billion from users. Close to $2.5 billion of that figure came from “deep fakes”, or video impersonation schemes alone.
Those numbers show just how far fraud can reach when scammers copy official branding. It’s easy to feel safe clicking on a familiar logo, especially when XRP is surging and emotions are high.
Like clockwork, with success and market rallies, scammers ramp up their attacks on the crypto community — PLEASE BEWARE of the latest scam targeting the XRP family on @YouTube and impersonating @Ripple’s official account! We will keep reporting these – please do the same.
— Brad Garlinghouse (@bgarlinghouse) July 23, 2025
Scammers Ride XRP’s Upswing
Fraudsters are quick to follow every price jump. When XRP passed $3.50 last week, cloned YouTube accounts started popping up everywhere.
They promise to match or double any deposit sent to a wallet address. Most channels even splice in real clips from Ripple events to look legit.
Then they swap in fake names and profile pictures in Ripple’s style. The losers? People who think they’re dealing with the real company.
Deepfakes And Paid Ads Fuel Scam Growth
Based on reports, scammers aren’t stopping at simple editing tricks. They’re using social engineering and other kinds of tools to drop in interviews with actual Ripple team members.
Then they overlay voice‑overs and fake on‑screen text that invites people to send XRP for a giveaway. Some even buy paid ads on Facebook and Instagram to spread their posts faster.
If one channel is flagged and removed, another three or four crop up within hours. It’s a game of whack‑a‑mole that favors the scammers and the speed at which they operate.
This year, deepfakes have been ensnaring a growing number of unsuspecting victims. Source: Metamoworks/Adobe Stock
Community Response And Executive Warnings
Meanwhile, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse has publicly urged people to stay alert every time the crypto market gains steam.
He’s pointed out that fake giveaways and phishing setups pop up whenever XRP makes headlines. His message is clear: scams evolve as fast as the market itself. And they won’t stop unless users learn to spot the red flags.
User Warnings And Safety Tips
To stay safe, never send XRP or any other coin first in hopes of a reward. Always compare the channel name and URL against those listed on Ripple’s official site.
Enable two‑factor authentication on YouTube, email, and any exchange accounts you use. If you see a suspicious post or ad, report it immediately — and warn others in community forums so they don’t fall for the same trick.
Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
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