The rapid growth of the cryptocurrency industry over the past decade has naturally attracted an increasing number of scammers seeking to exploit unsuspecting users. Ripple and the broader XRPL ecosystem have been frequent targets, and the latest alert comes from Ripple’s CTO Emeritus.
Stay Safe, XRP Community
David “JoelKatz” Schwartz warned his more than 700,000 followers on X that there has been a “huge escalation lately in airdrop and giveaway scams targeting XRPL users.” Airdrop scams typically ask users to connect their blockchain wallets with the promise of receiving free tokens. While legitimate airdrops do occur in the crypto space, they are announced through official channels. Ripple has not conducted any such airdrops, so Schwartz cautioned that “any such posts you see are likely scams.”
Giveaway scams follow a similar pattern. Scammers ask users to send tokens to an address they control, promising to return double the amount or more. These schemes are often promoted under the guise of celebrations or promotions. Though the offer may sound tempting, victims who send tokens rarely, if ever, receive anything back.
Schwartz also stressed that anyone impersonating him on social platforms is likely a fraudster. Users should be particularly skeptical of messages on Instagram, Telegram, or other channels claiming to represent him or other Ripple executives.
SCAM ALERT: There has been a huge escalation lately in airdrop and giveaway scams targetting XRPL users lately. Any such posts you see are likely scams.
Anyone claiming to be me on Instagram, Telegram, or almost anywhere else is likely a scammer.
Stay safe XRP fam.
— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) May 14, 2026
Repeated Targeting of the XRP Community
This warning is not new to the XRP community. Scammers have repeatedly targeted Ripple users across multiple platforms. Last year, reports detailed how fraudsters impersonated Ripple’s official accounts on YouTube to promote fake giveaways and airdrops. In other cases, imposters created fake Ripple or XRP livestreams and even used deepfake videos to deceive viewers and steal tokens.
Ripple’s official channels have previously warned users about these evolving tactics. The company’s leadership, including CEO Brad Garlinghouse, has repeatedly cautioned that scammers tend to ramp up activity around high-profile moments, such as holidays or major announcements, and encouraged users to follow trusted sources for security guidance.
To protect yourself, rely only on announcements from official Ripple channels, verify any unexpected requests before connecting a wallet or sending funds, and treat offers that promise guaranteed returns or ask for upfront transfers with extreme skepticism. If something appears too good to be true, it probably is.