Hacks & Security · Explained
XRP community hit by 11.5 million scam posts in 30 days, validator says
An X API analysis by XRP Ledger validator Vet counted about 11.5 million posts promising fake rewards and airdrops to XRP users over 30 days.
Key takeaways
- Scale. Vet's analysis counted about 11.5 million XRP-targeted scam posts in 30 days, or roughly 383,000 a day if spread evenly.
- Not XRP-only. Vet said similar scam comments appear in Ethereum and Solana discussions, suggesting a broader crypto problem.
- Practical rule. Legitimate projects do not ask users to send XRP first, reveal private keys or approve unexplained wallet transactions to claim airdrops.
What happened
XRP Ledger validator Vet, identified by U.Today as XRP Ledger Foundation director of community Hussein Zangana, said an analysis of X API data found about 11.5 million posts targeting the XRP community over the previous 30 days. The posts used reward and airdrop promises in an attempt to scam users, according to reports from The Crypto Basic and U.Today.
The campaigns described in the reports typically promise free XRP, rewards or token allocations and then push users toward phishing websites or wallet requests. The goal is to get victims to connect wallets to malicious sites, sign harmful transactions or disclose sensitive wallet information.
The Crypto Basic calculated that, if the 11.5 million figure were spread evenly over 30 days, it would equal roughly 383,000 posts a day, nearly 16,000 an hour or about 266 a minute. The outlet also noted that Vet did not publish the X API query parameters or the full dataset, so the total remains his reported analysis rather than an independently reproducible X platform statistic.
First $1.34Latest $1.06-21.1% over the period
Points are daily observations, not closing prices.
Why it matters
The volume matters because it shows how much fraudulent content can surround a big, busy holder community. It also undercuts the idea that a verification badge or a large follower count proves an offer is real: Vet said large accounts can be sold or compromised and then used to widen a scam's reach.
Vet cautioned that the activity should not be read as unique to XRP. He said similar scam comments appear around Ethereum and Solana discussions, making it a broader crypto industry problem. The reports do not establish that XRP is targeted more often than every other crypto community.
For holders, the practical warning is simple. Legitimate projects do not require users to send XRP first to receive more XRP, disclose private keys or approve unexplained wallet transactions to claim an airdrop, according to The Crypto Basic.
What the data shows
The central figure is 11.5 million posts in 30 days, all described as targeting the XRP community with reward and airdrop scams. The count came from an analysis of X API data, according to the reports.
The Crypto Basic's per-day, per-hour and per-minute figures are an illustration of average pace, not a claim that the posts were evenly distributed. The reports do not say how many accounts were involved, how many posts were unique, or how many remain visible.
The estimate was specific to XRP-targeted scam posts. The Crypto Basic noted that Vet's follow-up comments pointed to similar activity around Ethereum and Solana, so the number should not be treated as a cross-coin comparison.
Background
The warning follows repeated alerts about fake XRP giveaways in 2026. Former Ripple CTO David Schwartz warned in May about a large increase in fake XRP airdrop and giveaway scams, urging users to be wary of unsolicited reward offers. Xaman founder Wietse Wind has also warned about fake wallet applications and nonexistent XRP airdrops, while scammers have used cloned accounts, malicious domains and impersonation.
Some attacks have caused losses. In June, an XRP holder lost 14,646 XRP in a fake reward-related payment request after approving a transaction disguised as a verification message. In October, Ireland's national police X account was compromised and used to promote a fraudulent XRP/Xaman airdrop; the verified account had nearly 300,000 followers.
U.Today also placed the scam warning against growing interest in the XRP Ledger, citing RWA.xyz data showing $642.64 million in distributed real-world assets across 2,497 holders. The report said distributed RWA value on the ledger rose 28.81% in the 30 days to Nov. 6, 2026, from $498.90 million, with Franklin Templeton's sgBENJI accounting for all of the growth.
What is still unclear
Several details remain undisclosed. The reports do not include the search terms, API query parameters or full dataset behind the 11.5 million figure, and they do not break down the posts by account age, reach or engagement. It is also unclear how many of the posts were removed by X or how many represented distinct campaigns rather than repeated posts from the same accounts.
What to watch
The next useful marker would be publication of the underlying query and dataset, which would let independent researchers check the 11.5 million estimate. Until then, the figure should be treated as Vet's reported analysis.
Also worth watching is whether X, the XRP Ledger Foundation or other researchers release platform-wide data on scam posts, and whether compromised verified accounts continue to be used in fake airdrop promotions. The reports do not make predictions about future scam volumes.
Questions readers ask
Did Vet publish the data behind the 11.5 million figure?
No. The Crypto Basic reported that Vet did not publish the X API query parameters or full dataset, so the figure remains his reported analysis rather than an independently reproducible X platform statistic.
Does this mean XRP is targeted more than other crypto communities?
The reports do not establish that. Vet said similar scam comments appear around Ethereum and Solana discussions and described the problem as one affecting the broader crypto industry.
What should XRP holders watch for?
Fake reward and airdrop offers that lead to phishing sites, malicious wallet requests, requests to send XRP first, private-key requests or unexplained transaction approvals. Follower counts and verification badges alone are not proof that an offer is legitimate, according to the reports.