XRP Holders Put On Alert As David Schwartz Flags Dangerous New Scam

A user lost 6,000 XRP after falling for a scheme that promised to double their funds. That case is one of several being reported as scammers step up their efforts against XRP Ledger users, prompting a public warning from Ripple’s former chief technology officer.

Fake Offers Hiding In Plain Sight

David Schwartz, known online as JoelKatz, posted the alert on X after what he described as a sharp rise in fake airdrop and giveaway activity. He warned that nearly all such offers seen across social platforms are fraudulent, and that anyone claiming to be him on Instagram, Telegram, or similar apps is almost certainly running a scam.

The warning came alongside reports from others in the XRP space. XRPL blockchain explorer Bithomp flagged a specific trick where scammers send unsolicited NFTs to user wallets.

The NFTs carry misleading messages — one example read “Verification: Safe XRPL verify message” — and are paired with hidden Buy Offers. When a user signs or accepts the offer, their XRP or other assets can be drained immediately. Wietse Wind from the Xaman wallet team has also urged users to cancel any unknown offers without delay.

What Scammers Are Actually Doing

The methods are not complex but they are effective. Scammers build fake social media profiles impersonating Schwartz, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, and projects tied to the XRPL. One fake Schwartz profile on Instagram was flagged by a community member last month and reported to the platform.

Phishing plays a large role too. Fraudulent websites prompt users to connect their wallets or approve transactions under the guise of claiming rewards. Once done, the wallet is emptied. Some operations still use the oldest trick in the book — asking users to send XRP first with the promise of receiving more back.

The scams are not exploiting flaws in the XRP Ledger itself. They rely entirely on deceiving people.

Schwartz made clear that no legitimate organization runs surprise giveaways or asks users to send funds, share private keys, or reveal seed phrases. His verified X account is the only place users should look for communication from him.

For protection, users are advised to avoid unknown links, refuse to connect wallets to unverified websites, and report suspicious accounts. Tools from Bithomp and Xaman can help users review and cancel pending offers before any damage is done. Acting fast after a scam occurs may limit losses, but full recovery is rarely possible.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView