A new XRP airdrop scam has been circulating on social media, primarily on X. Scam artists are sharing a medium post of Ripple’s CEO, Brad Garlinghouse that falsely promises a 100 million XRP airdrop to celebrate Ripple’s success. The scam involves fake social media accounts and cleverly crafted websites, designed to lure victims into sending XRP in exchange for a supposed larger return.

Breakdown of the scam

The fraud begins with posts shared on X. What’s disturbing is that some of these posts are from verified users. These posts claim that Ripple is conducting a 100 million XRP airdrop under Brad Garlinghouse’s name.

Sample Tweet of the scam

The Tweet takes you to a medium article from a fake Brad Garlinghouse profile. Medium is chosen on purpose because it is usually trusted in the crypto community.

Screenshot of the Medium post of the scam

The medium has a link to take the user to an airdrop website. The fraudulent airdrop claims to offer bonuses, such as “Send 10,000 XRP, get 20,000 XRP,” encouraging users to send their XRP to a designated wallet address in hopes of receiving double or more in return.

Screenshot of the airdrop website

To make the scam appear legitimate, scammers use fake testimonials or comments from supposed participants, claiming they’ve received large bonuses after sending XRP.

Screenshot of fake social proof on the airdrop website

Previous XRP scams on X

This isn’t the first time a fake XRP airdrop scam is happening, and it surely won’t be the last. Earlier this year, a X scam involved the impersonation of Ripple CTO David Schwartz, offering a similar fake airdrop under his name. In that scam, users were encouraged to send XRP to “verify their wallet address” and promised returns of 1000%. Similarly, other scams have exploited positive news around Ripple, using false claims of celebratory airdrops after Ripple’s legal victories in court.

How to Stay Safe from XRP Airdrop Scams

1. Verify Sources
2. Be Wary of Too-Good-To-Be-True Offers
3. Report and Block
4. Use Official Wallets and Platforms

By staying vigilant and verifying the authenticity of any offers or promotions, crypto users can avoid falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.