Ripple CTO Warns About Impersonation Scam

In a recent X conversation, Ripple CTO David Schwartz highlighted an impersonation scam involving Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse. An X user tweeted a scam video of Garlinghouse discussing future plans for XRP.

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> — David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) September 5, 2025

Schwartz quickly identified the scam, responding to the tweet with a “scam alert” GIF to warn the XRP community.

Increase in Scams

Recently, there has been a rise in scammers impersonating prominent figures in the crypto industry, including Garlinghouse. These scammers often utilize real videos from interviews or public events, overlaying fraudulent content that leads to fake websites or crypto wallets aimed at stealing funds.

Scammers may also employ digital manipulation techniques, such as deepfakes, using Garlinghouse’s likeness to promote these fraudulent websites.

Warning Issued

Deepfakes can be challenging to detect, contributing to the spread of misinformation and crypto scams. Such posts typically redirect users to fake domains featuring a public wallet address.

Users are urged to remain vigilant when sharing financial details, even if requests seem to come from reputable sources.

Additionally, last month, Ripple announced its membership in TRM Labs’ real-time crypto crime response network, Beacon.