IOG warns users after YouTube channel hijack

Input Output Group (IOG) issued an urgent advisory on September 18, urging Cardano community members to avoid its official YouTube channel after the account appeared to be taken over. The hijacked livestream featured a synthetic video of Charles Hoskinson promoting a fraudulent cryptocurrency giveaway.

Details of the hijacked livestream

The unauthorized broadcast was presented as a Project Catalyst town‑hall and used official‑looking branding. It displayed a QR code and claimed viewers could “double your wealth” by following the provided instructions. No evidence shows that Charles Hoskinson, Project Catalyst, or IOG authorized the promotion.

IOG’s immediate response

Through its official X account, IOG instructed users not to click any links, send funds, or share personal information on the compromised channel until further notice. The warning remained in place while the livestream stayed online for nearly two hours.

Historical context of similar scams

Cardano has documented YouTube giveaway scams for years. The Cardano Foundation’s scam‑awareness guide describes fake “double your ADA” offers that use fabricated videos of Hoskinson or other ecosystem leaders. Such schemes typically require an upfront transfer of cryptocurrency, which cannot be reversed.

Use of Project Catalyst branding

Project Catalyst is a legitimate Cardano community‑funding program. Its branding was leveraged in the hijacked stream to give the scam an appearance of authenticity, even though no official Catalyst event matching the giveaway was announced.

Previous account compromises

This incident follows earlier breaches of Cardano‑related social accounts, including a December 2024 compromise of the Cardano Foundation’s X account that falsely claimed an SEC lawsuit.

Current status

IOG has not disclosed how the YouTube channel was accessed, whether multi‑factor authentication was bypassed, or if other corporate accounts were affected. No confirmed wallet address or loss figures have been published for this specific event.