IFTTT Service Blamed for Recent ‘$Packy’ Token Scam on X Platform

A surge of scam posts targeting prominent figures like Packy McCormick of a16z and Scott Shapiro of Coinbase has been attributed to the use of a third-party automation tool, IFTTT (If This Then That), on the X platform.

Scammers exploited IFTTT to flood X with fraudulent posts urging users to send Solana’s SOL token, valued at $175, to a specified wallet address for a meme token named “PACKY.”

On March 21, the X accounts of influential crypto personalities, including Packy McCormick, Scott Shapiro, Justin Kan of Twitch, and others, were compromised by scammers disseminating deceitful token promotions.

McCormick promptly clarified the breach, affirming, “This is not me. Account hacked. Working to get it fixed. Don’t click any links from me or (obviously) send money to a random address.” The malicious post claimed McCormick was launching the “PACKY” token with extensive marketing plans and exchange listings, alongside a Solana wallet address.

Attributing the breach to IFTTT, McCormick highlighted the need for users to revoke access to outdated third-party apps, cautioning against potential vulnerabilities.

Similarly, ZachXBT identified IFTTT as the entry point for the hacks, as seen in Justin Kan’s compromised account. Kan urged users not to purchase any questionable tokens.

Shapiro’s account was also infiltrated, with a fraudulent message suggesting collaboration with Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong in launching the PACKY token. Shapiro emphasized the risk associated with outdated third-party app connections and urged users to revoke all such authorizations.

Other notable figures, including Rainbow co-founder Mike Demarais, Asymmetric Finance CEO Joe McCann, and digital artist Bryan Brinkman, also fell victim to the scam. Brinkman admitted his IFTTT account was compromised and offered to rectify any losses incurred by victims.

Despite attempts to reach out, IFTTT has not provided a response regarding the incidents.

The X platform has been a target for various illicit activities, including scams and hacking incidents. Even the official account of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission was compromised shortly before the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January.