Massive Twitter hack targets Biden, billionaires, brands and more in attempt to steal Bitcoin

Twitter.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Despite what politicians, billionaires, and brands are tweeting, no one is trying to give back to the community by doubling Bitcoin you send over. The repetitive tweet is all part of a massive hack with unclear origins — and it's seemingly out of control.

Starting Wednesday afternoon, accounts belonging to Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Kanye West and others sent out a Bitcoin transaction address, promising any amount sent to it would be doubled and sent back. The hack soon spread to former Vice President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama, and then, after initial tweets were deleted, another round poured onto many of the same accounts.

The hackers' Bitcoin wallet showed they'd received more than 300 transactions and more than 100,000 bitcoin as of 6 p.m. ET, though those transactions were largely unconfirmed.

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It took Twitter an hour to respond to the mass hacking, and it didn't really say much. Kathryn Krawczyk

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Kathryn Krawczyk

Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.