Ripple’s David Schwartz warns XRP holders as fake airdrops surge

Ripple CTO Emeritus David Schwartz has warned XRP Ledger users about a rise in fake airdrops and giveaway scams. 

His alert came as scammers continue to target crypto users through social media, Telegram, Instagram and fake websites.

Schwartz said there has been a “huge escalation lately” in scams targeting XRPL users. He also warned that “any such posts you see are likely scams.” The wording shows caution, but the message is clear: users should treat free XRP offers with doubt.

Ripple impersonators use Telegram and Instagram

Ripple had already warned users about fake Telegram accounts. Ripple clarified that it does not run an official Telegram support channel and will not contact users there to ask for payments, personal data or wallet details.

Another report covered a fake Instagram account that posed as Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse. The account pushed an XRP giveaway and followed a common scam pattern: users were asked to send XRP first with the false promise of receiving more later.

Moreover, Scammers often use real images, copied branding and edited videos to make fake offers look official. Fake support channels, deepfake videos and giveaway posts remain common scam tools in the crypto market.

Ripple’s earlier guidance has stayed the same. The company has said it will never ask users to send XRP. It has also warned that fake livestreams and fake executive accounts are often used to steal funds from users.

Ripple security warnings grow as cyber threats widen

The latest warning also comes as wider crypto security risks remain active. As crypto.news reported, Ripple started sharing North Korea-linked threat intelligence with Crypto ISAC. The data includes domains, wallets and other warning signs tied to fraud and active hack campaigns.

That report said DPRK-linked hackers had stolen about $577 million in crypto so far in 2026, equal to 76% of all crypto hack losses for the year at that point. It also said attackers have moved beyond simple code attacks and now use longer social engineering campaigns.

Meanwhile, the warning arrived while XRP (XRP) traded near $1.43, according to crypto.news price data. XRP was down 2.15% over 24 hours, with daily volume at about $2.17 billion and a 24-hour range between $1.41 and $1.47.