A British cabinet minister’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account was hijacked on Tuesday and used to promote a fake cryptocurrency linked to the UK Parliament, according to a spokesperson for the minister and reporting by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The compromised account belonged to Lucy Powell, Leader of the House of Commons, who has held the role since July. With nearly 70,000 followers, the account was briefly used to promote a digital token dubbed the “House of Commons Coin” ($HCC), falsely implying endorsement from the UK government.
“Lucy Powell’s personal X account was hacked this morning,” a spokesperson confirmed to AFP. “Steps were taken quickly to secure the account and remove misleading posts.”
The scam followed a familiar crypto fraud tactic known as a “pump and dump” scheme—where scammers artificially inflate a coin’s value before selling off their holdings, leaving unsuspecting buyers with worthless assets.
According to digital asset management firm CoinShares, approximately 34 transactions involving $HCC took place shortly after the hack, netting the scammers around $260. CoinShares executive Benoit Pellevoizin told AFP that media attention helped the fake coin gain visibility, with total transaction volume surging from $7,000 to $55,000 within hours.
This incident underscores a broader trend of high-profile social media account hijackings being used to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency projects. Just last month, Ghana’s former president John Mahama’s X account was similarly breached and used to promote a scam coin dubbed “Solana Africa,” falsely claiming ties to the presidency.
These tactics are made more convincing by the legitimate public endorsements of cryptocurrencies by figures like former U.S. President Donald Trump and Argentina’s President Javier Milei, whose actual posts have influenced crypto markets—though not always to the benefit of retail investors. The blurring lines between legitimate endorsement and fraudulent impersonation have made social media platforms increasingly fertile ground for crypto-related scams.
The incident raises ongoing concerns about the security of public figures’ online platforms and the growing threat of cybercrime in the digital asset space, particularly as bad actors continue exploiting trusted accounts to deceive followers and manipulate crypto markets.
Sources:
- Agence France-Presse (AFP)
- CoinShares (coinshares.com)
- Public statements from Lucy Powell’s spokesperson via AFP
House of Parliament Westminster Palace, London Picture from Pickpik
