X to Auto-Lock First Crypto Posts to Curb Scam Campaigns
- X plans to lock accounts that post about crypto for the first time and verify users.
- The rule aims to curb phishing attacks that hijack profiles to push token scams.
- Bier linked the move to rising abuse involving fake coins, drops, and spoofed accounts.
X is preparing a new security measure to disrupt crypto phishing on the platform. The company plans to auto-lock any account that mentions cryptocurrency for the first time and require extra verification before posting again. Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, said the feature targets a common attack path. He wrote, “This should kill 99% of the incentive,” as hijacked accounts continue to promote scam tokens, fake giveaways, and fraudulent links.
The change surfaced after an X user shared a detailed account of losing control of an account through a phishing email disguised as a copyright notice. From there, the attacker reportedly used the account to promote fake crypto projects.
How the New Locking Measure Would Work
Bier described the planned safeguard in a reply on X to a user named Benjamin. Benjamin wrote, “Yeah—I got phished. You can listen to exactly what happened here or read the article below.”
Benjamin also thanked X’s premium support team and warned others to stay safe. In response, Bier said, “Yeah, we’re aware. We are in the process of implementing auto-locking + verification if a user posts about cryptocurrency for the first time in the history of their account.”
That response framed the new rule as a direct answer to a specific abuse pattern. In these cases, attackers seize older accounts, post about crypto for the first time, and try to borrow trust from existing followers.
Phishing Tactics Behind the Scam Wave
The firsthand account described a phishing email that looked like a copyright violation notice. The user said the attacker then used a pixel-perfect fake login page to capture two-factor authentication codes.
After taking over the account, the attacker allegedly locked out the owner and began promoting fraudulent crypto projects. That method matches a broader scam pattern that has remained common on X for years.
One of the most familiar versions is the “double your money” scam. Other campaigns advertise fake memecoins or bogus airdrops, while impersonation accounts push malicious links that imitate real crypto services. Could an automatic lock on first-time crypto posts cut off the instant credibility that hijackers seek? Bier’s comments suggest X believes that friction could weaken the tactic at its source.
Related: Coinbase Impersonation Scams Expose Crypto Enforcement Gaps
X’s Wider Fight Against Crypto Abuse
The move arrives as X faces what analysts have called a growing bot crisis. According to the provided text, AI-driven scam accounts have used recommendation systems to spread deepfake-heavy crypto fraud and fake trading tools.
The platform has already introduced stricter API limits, broader bot detection, and periodic bot purges. In late 2025, X also said it dismantled a bribery network linked to crypto scam accounts seeking access to suspended handles. Bier also criticized Google over phishing emails that still reach inboxes through Gmail. He argued that weak filtering leaves users exposed before the attack even reaches the platform.
Crypto scams have troubled the service since its Twitter era. The text cites the 2020 breach, when hackers took over accounts tied to Apple, Barack Obama, and Elon Musk to push a fake bitcoin giveaway.
Those posts brought in more than $100,000 before Twitter removed them. The breach stemmed from social engineering against employees, and the hacker later received a five-year sentence.
