The authentic Instagram account of cricketing legend and previous Pakistan High Minister Imran Khan was once hacked the day gone by with a view to advertise a cryptocurrency rip-off.
An unauthorised submit and Instagram tale in short steered Khan’s over seven million fans to consult with a rip-off site that presented an Elon Musk-endorsed “crypto giveaway” of $100 million.
To make the rip-off seem extra professional, the submit was once accompanied by way of a screenshot of a faked tweet claiming to come back from Tesla boss Musk, and an endorsement message that pretended to come back from Khan:
Thanks Elon Musk for three BTC. Cross to the web page and get cash. Hyperlink in profile bio
Within the tale posted to Imran Khan’s hacked account, a screenshot purporting to turn 3 bitcoin being transferred to him was once displayed.

In fact, there’s no signal of the tweet on Elon Musk’s authentic Twitter account. It seems that to be the concoction of the scammers themselves, who can mock up a pretend tweet screenshot the use of equipment discovered on any PC in mere seconds.
Elon Musk’s symbol and identify are recurrently exploited by way of on-line criminals prepared to dupe the unwitting into falling for a cryptocurrency rip-off. Musk’s monumental popularity, fervent following within the crypto group, and common erratic behaviour seem to be a super cocktail for the ones making an attempt to entice the unwary into making an unwise resolution.
Then again, combining Musk’s identify with the ones of alternative public figures with huge and dependable followings – reminiscent of PTI birthday celebration chairman Imran Khan – opens up much more alternatives for scammers.
Obviously, there’s an excessive amount of hurt which may be accomplished by way of having the social media accounts of top profile political leaders compromised – extra, possibly, than the monetary injury which may be accomplished if fans had been duped into collaborating right into a cryptocurrency rip-off.
As an example, an attacker may use their get admission to to a social media account to submit incorrect information to their thousands and thousands of fans, or level them in opposition to a webpage that put in malware onto their computer systems.
Keep watch over of Imran Khan’s account was once later showed to were recovered.
Final week, the Twitter account of any other top profile determine in Indian politics, PTI Secretary Normal and previous Federal Making plans Minister Asad Umar, was once additionally hacked, and in Would possibly the e-mail, Twitter, and Apple accounts of PTI birthday celebration determine Hammad Azhar had been additionally compromised.
It’s unclear whether or not all of those accounts were hijacked the use of the similar ways, but it surely obviously could be no unhealthy factor if extra care was once taken in securing accounts with sturdy, distinctive passwords and multi-factor authentication.
Final yr it was once reported that Imran Khan’s cell phone can have been centered by way of the infamous Pegasus adware evolved by way of arguable Israeli company NSO Staff.