Scott Simon’s Account Hacked by Cryptocurrency Scammers
Scott Simon, a prominent host at NPR, has recently fallen victim to cryptocurrency scammers who hijacked his account on X. This incident has raised alarms among his followers, prompting his colleague Steve Inskeep to issue a public warning clarifying that Simon is not endorsing cryptocurrency investments.
“We are working to reverse this hack, and hope that will help. We think it’s important to keep people talking to each other. Our account has meant a lot to people, and to us, since 2009.” – Scott Simon
Account Lockdown and Precautionary Measures
Currently, Simon’s account, which has a substantial following of over 971,000, has been locked down as a precautionary measure to mitigate further damage from scammers. The profile now indicates that its posts are protected, restricting visibility to only those users who are approved followers. This action aims to prevent the perpetrators from disseminating malicious links to a broader audience.
The Targeting of High-Profile Journalists
High-profile journalists like Simon often find themselves as prime targets for cybercriminals, who exploit their influence to propagate fraudulent schemes—especially those related to cryptocurrency. Scammers frequently utilize “pump and dump” strategies or phishing tactics, capitalizing on the trust that followers place in respected media figures.
Similar Incidents in the Media
This recent breach mirrors other incidents involving notable journalists. For instance, Paul Sperry of The New York Post experienced a similar attack in May 2025 when hackers gained access to his verified account and attempted to trick users into a phony podcast interview about crypto. Additionally, veteran BBC reporter Nick Robinson had his account compromised last year due to a phishing message and was used to promote a counterfeit cryptocurrency token. Such tactics underline the vulnerability of verified media accounts to financial fraud.
