A Kenyan law enforcement agency announced that it had regained control of its X and Facebook accounts on Feb. 9, just hours after hackers compromised the accounts to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
Kenya’s Criminal Investigation Agency Regains Control of Hacked Social Media Accounts
Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) announced on Feb. 9 that it had successfully regained control of its X and Facebook accounts after they were hijacked by hackers. According to the law enforcement agency, the cybercriminals used the compromised accounts to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency. In response, the DCI has launched an extensive investigation into the hacking incident to identify and apprehend those responsible.
Hackers Promoted a Fake Cryptocurrency
Notably, the confirmation of the hack came just hours after the attackers falsely announced the launch of a new cryptocurrency named “DCI.” In an apparent attempt to deceive, the hackers framed the token as a blockchain initiative designed to help the country cut its budget by hundreds of millions of dollars annually, thereby luring unsuspecting Kenyans.
To further legitimize the scam, the hackers shared the token’s contract address and falsely claimed that DCI had already been listed on multiple major crypto exchanges. They even attempted to incentivize engagement by offering tokens in exchange for likes and urging followers to encourage local media outlets to support the so-called blockchain project.
“This is an official news, please ask local media to support the idea of launching a blockchain project,” the hackers posted.
DCI’s Quick Response Underscores Rising Cyber Threats
By 1:00 PM EST on Feb. 10, the DCI deleted the hackers’ posts and fully restored control over its social media accounts.
Overall, the incident highlights a growing trend of cybercriminals hijacking high-profile social media accounts. Increasingly, these actors exploit trusted platforms to promote fake cryptocurrency schemes, thereby deceiving unsuspecting users and damaging public trust. Recently, Tanzanian billionaire Mohammed Dewji suffered a similar attack on his X account, resulting in a loss of over $1.4 million. Meanwhile, in Brazil, hackers took control of former president Jair Bolsonaro’s X account, using it to defraud users of $1.3 million.
Amid rising concerns, as cyber threats targeting influential individuals and organizations continue to rise, the DCI’s swift action, therefore, serves as a critical warning to users. Consequently, it underscores the growing need for heightened vigilance against fraudulent crypto schemes circulating online.
