Ghana President John Mahama’s X Account Hacked, Promoting Fraudulent Cryptocurrency
Ghana’s President John Mahama’s verified X account was compromised for a period of 48 hours, with cybercriminals utilizing the account to endorse a fraudulent cryptocurrency initiative, as confirmed by his spokesperson on Tuesday.
The security breach, which was first identified on Sunday, began the previous day when the hacked account began disseminating endorsements for a project called Solanafrica. The posts falsely claimed to be “led by Ghana’s President John Mahama” and suggested that it would facilitate free financial transactions across Africa using the Solana blockchain technology. The hackers urged Mahama’s followers to invest in this scheme, asserting that it aimed to transform financial dealings on the continent.
While the fraudulent messages were removed after Mahama’s team became aware of the breach, the account continued to disseminate cryptocurrency-related content, including teasers about an upcoming memecoin.
“The President’s X account was compromised, and we have taken action to regain control,” said spokesman Kwakye Ofosu to AFP. “The account has now been fully restored, and we encourage the public to disregard any dubious cryptocurrency-related posts from this profile.”
This incident underscores the growing alarm over the proliferation of cryptocurrency scams in Africa, where interest in digital assets has surged but regulatory frameworks remain inadequate. Hijacking verified accounts to promote fake investment schemes has become a common tactic among scammers.
Mahama later confirmed on his X account, “My team has restored my account, working with the X support team. Thank you for your inquiries and offers to assist.”
In July 2023, South African opposition figure Julius Malema also fell victim to a similar hack, with his account being misused to endorse a counterfeit token project. In a prior incident in 2022, Nigerian businessman Tony Elumelu’s account was infiltrated and was bombarded with fraudulent cryptocurrency giveaways.
Cybersecurity professionals warn that high-profile individuals, particularly those in political positions, must enhance their security protocols to avert such breaches. Abubakar Issaka, a cybersecurity specialist with Ghana’s Centre for Cyberwatch and Data Protection, remarked, “Prominent figures, especially in governance, need to adopt rigorous backend security measures. Two-factor authentication alone does not suffice anymore. It’s crucial to monitor login activities, restrict third-party app access, and maintain a dedicated team for 24/7 surveillance of their accounts to identify and address any suspicious activities before they escalate.”
The Solana blockchain has gained popularity in Africa due to its lower transaction fees when compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum, making it a favorite target for scammers attempting to deceive investors. Ofosu stated that measures had been implemented to prevent any future misuse of Mahama’s account.
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