Ripple has warned its community after a fake Instagram account impersonated CEO Brad Garlinghouse and promoted an XRP giveaway scam.
The account reportedly contacted users while claiming they could receive free XRP in return for sending an initial payment. Ripple said the account had no connection to its leadership team.
Ripple’s CTO Emeritus David Schwartz highlighted the scam on social media. He warned users that Ripple executives will never ask for money or crypto transfers online.
The fake messages followed a familiar pattern used in crypto scams. Users were told to send XRP first with the promise of receiving a larger amount in return, a tactic commonly used to trick victims.
Ripple said these types of scams often rely on fake profiles, deepfake content, and impersonation of well-known figures. The company warned that such tactics are still widely used across social media platforms.
The firm also repeated its long-standing safety guidance. It said it will never ask users for wallet details, passwords, or payments through unofficial channels.
Ripple added that it does not run official support or giveaway accounts on messaging apps or social media platforms. Any account claiming otherwise should be treated as suspicious.
The latest warning adds to a growing list of crypto-related impersonation scams targeting users online. Ripple urged its community to stay alert and avoid sending funds to unknown or unverified accounts.
