Ripple CTO’s Wild Ride: Fake Airdrop Drama After XRP’s Price Explosion!

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So, just when you thought it was safe to wade into the waters of cryptocurrency, a new deepfake scam is making waves on X (you know, Twitter for people still living in 2008). Apparently, Ripple is “launching” a 100 million XRP rewards program? Spoiler alert: it’s about as real as my chances of becoming a professional tap dancer! 🕺🏼

This little scammy nugget popped up just hours after XRP decided to flex its extremely toned muscles and hit an all-time high (ATH). Thanks to some good old-fashioned market optimism, eager investors, and a few more wallets than usual, XRP practically had everyone saying “Take my money!” 🤷‍♀️💸

Deepfake Scams: The Uninvited Party Crashers of XRP’s Victory Lap

In the thrilling world of AI-generated mayhem, we’ve got a video featuring a *digitally enhanced* version of Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, who appears to thank the XRP community for their valiant support during Ripple’s epic struggle against the US SEC (that’s the Securities and Exchange Commission for those still Googling it). And guess what? He’s announcing an airdrop! 🎉

“Four years ago, we entered a battle we didn’t choose. But we fought and won against the SEC… I’m launching Ripple rewards program. 100 million XRP airdrop pool created for you,” says the digital Garlinghouse (who, let’s be honest, is about as real as my New Year’s resolutions). 🎭

The scam ran wild online, following the XRP price skyrocket like it was the last piece of pizza at a party, basking in all that cheerful confusion. 🍕✨

Meanwhile, the shady figures behind this scam are clearly trying to cash in on Ripple’s latest courtroom feat, which, let’s just say, Ripple execs are getting pretty good at dodging social media scams like a game of whack-a-mole. 🎪

Looking back, every time Ripple gets a *cha-ching* from the legal system, the scammers come out of the woodwork with ads for fake XRP giveaways. Remember August 2024? Scammers were pushing untrue airdrops after Judge Analisa Torres let Ripple off the hook for a mere $125 million – charmingly less than the SEC’s original $2 billion wishlist. That’s right, folks—a discount! 🎉🤑

And it’s not just the courtroom chaos that spawns these shenanigans; after a 2023 ruling declared XRP NOT a security (cue the confetti), deepfakes and phishing attempts came out in droves like they were gearing up for a Black Friday sale. 🛍️

“A lot of scammers are taking advantage of the recent good news to try to cheat and steal. There are no airdrops, giveaways, or special offers associated with this ruling,” said David Schwartz, delivering the news with the kind of enthusiasm you usually reserve for a trip to the DMV. 🚫💰

Schwartz, a true hero in the social media universe, took to X to expose the latest atrocity, tweeting a warning that was a little too obvious:

Obvious scam is obvious.

— David ‘JoelKatz’ Schwartz (@JoelKatz) July 18, 2025

But fret not, dear investors, because while the bad apples are out for chaos, the analysts remain cautiously optimistic about the Ripple price party continuing. 🚀 On-chain metrics even hint at a potential for more thrilling adventures. But as excitement bubbles over, so does the potential for scammy hijinks! 🥳

Through it all, Ripple is doing its best impression of that friend who constantly says “I’ll never ask you for your snack” while hogging the chips. They’ve reminded users that neither the company nor its big wigs will ever ask for personal info, token giveaways, or a fund transfer. So, keep your guard up, folks! 💪🏼

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2025-07-18 14:22