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{{Imported Case Study|source=https://www.quadrigainitiative.com/casestudy/kevinolearytwitterhackgiveway.php}}
{{Unattributed Sources}}

[[File:Kevinolearygiveaway.jpg|thumb|Kevin O Leary Giveaway Website]]A crypto giveaway scam was orchestrated through Kevin O'Leary's Twitter account, @kevinolearytv, where hackers falsely promoted a giveaway of 5,000 Bitcoin and 15,000 Ethereum. O'Leary vehemently vowed to pursue the perpetrators. The scam, a common tactic in cryptocurrency fraud, involves impersonating celebrities and enticing users to send cryptocurrency to a specified wallet address with the promise of receiving more in return. O'Leary emphasized the importance of caution in cryptocurrency transactions, urging users to verify wallet addresses and avoid sharing sensitive information. He also highlighted the necessity of regulatory clarity to protect investors.

This is a global/international case not involving a specific country.<ref name="fooldotcom-13287" /><ref name="finbold-13288" /><ref name="theglobeandmail-13289" /><ref name="benzinga-13290" /><ref name="bitnation-13291" /><ref name="kevinolearytvtwitter-13292" />

== About Twitter ==
"Our marketing department came up with an idea: to hold a special giveaway event for all crypto fans out there."

"If you want to participate, it's really easy to do. Just go to these sites to find out more information:"

"Note: Everyone can participate, including those in the United States. You don't need a special account to partipate: all wallets and exchanges are eligible! The competition will last until the entirety of the 5,000 BTC and 100,000 ETH held in the airdrop-funds have been released. IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU! THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!"

"Crypto scams target unsuspecting people, and you could be one of them. A crypto giveaway scam, like the one in question here, is a popular type of scam designed to get people to send scammers their cryptocurrency. Scammers impersonate a celebrity online, normally choosing one associated with crypto such as O'Leary. They send messages claiming to be holding a giveaway for anyone who wants to participate. The link to the "giveaway" includes a crypto wallet address, instructions to send funds to verify your own address, and a promise that you'll get twice as much or more back."

"The Twitter account for Kevin O'Leary, a.k.a. Mr. Wonderful of Shark Tank fame, @kevinolearytv, appeared to be hacked by crypto scammers Thursday. It sent out multiple now-deleted tweets about a crypto giveaway of 5,000 Bitcoin (BTC) and 15,000 Ethereum (ETH), although the accompanying image listed 5,000 ETH. The links to these giveaways prompted respondents to send their own cryptocurrency funds first to verify their wallet address.

These scams typically involve a fake Twitter account impersonating the celebrity in question. In this case, hackers were able to access O'Leary's real account and send out a series of tweets. This included a tweet saying, "My accounts was not hacked! Last night I said on TV that I was going to do a giveaway. Enjoy," as recorded by Jordan Major of Finbold in an early report on the hack."

"Indeed, on December 29, the account pinned a tweet about a supposed giveaway and instructed followers to “click on the picture to join the event.” In a succession of tweets, the TV personality’s followers started to get suspicious due to the volume of tweets and the syntax used."

"Never send cryptocurrency to any unknown wallet addresses. Only transfer cryptocurrency to your own wallet or to someone else if you personally know the recipient. Make sure you have the correct wallet address, as well. Any mistake could result in your transfer being sent to the wrong place and lost forever.

Understand too, what you should and shouldn't be sharing about your crypto assets. You wouldn't give out a credit card number, address, and security code to a random website, nor should you be giving out details of your crypto holdings.

Remember that if your credit card gets hit with a scam, you usually have an ally in the financial institutions backing your card. That's not the case with crypto. Don't get fooled by crypto giveaways, no matter who announces them. It's OK to be skeptical, and if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. The fact that hackers were able to share a scam through O'Leary's Twitter account is another sign of how careful you have to be."

"In exclusive comments to Benzinga, O’Leary says: “I have a message to the hackers. I am coming for you! You got the wrong guy. I will make your lives very interesting!”"

"O’Leary stressed the need for a clear regulatory framework in the U.S. in order to protect investors. “When those things get cleared up it will likely be 10 coins, and I’ll invest in all of them, the rest are as they say sh*tcoins, and they’ll go to zero,” O’Leary said."

This is a global/international case not involving a specific country.

The background of the exchange platform, service, or individuals involved, as it would have been seen or understood at the time of the events.

Include:

* Known history of when and how the service was started.
* What problems does the company or service claim to solve?
* What marketing materials were used by the firm or business?
* Audits performed, and excerpts that may have been included.
* Business registration documents shown (fake or legitimate).
* How were people recruited to participate?
* Public warnings and announcements prior to the event.

Don't Include:
* Any wording which directly states or implies that the business is/was illegitimate, or that a vulnerability existed.
* Anything that wasn't reasonably knowable at the time of the event.
There could be more than one section here. If the same platform is involved with multiple incidents, then it can be linked to a main article page.

== The Reality ==
This sections is included if a case involved deception or information that was unknown at the time. Examples include:

* When the service was actually started (if different than the "official story").
* Who actually ran a service and their own personal history.
* How the service was structured behind the scenes. (For example, there was no "trading bot".)
* Details of what audits reported and how vulnerabilities were missed during auditing.

== What Happened ==
The specific events of the loss and how it came about. What actually happened to cause the loss and some of the events leading up to it.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Key Event Timeline - Kevin O Leary Twitter Hack Giveway
!Date
!Event
!Description
|-
|December 28th, 2022 5:12:21 PM MST
|Twitter Account Capture
|Kevin O Leary's Twitter account is captured before the hack.
|-
|December 29th, 2022 7:57:21 AM MST
|Scam Website Captured
|The first capture of the scam website is taken.
|-
|December 29th, 2022 9:36:40 AM MST
|Finbold Article
|Finbold reports on the scheme. Kevin O'Leary, known for his role on "Shark Tank," had his Twitter account hacked by scammers promoting a Bitcoin and Ethereum giveaway. Despite O'Leary's denial of a hack, suspicious tweets were pinned on his account. This incident is noted to follow his admission of losing millions in the collapse of FTX cryptocurrency exchange, for which he was a paid advocate. O'Leary's involvement has led to a lawsuit by FTX investors, further tarnishing his reputation in the cryptocurrency community.
|-
|December 29th, 2022 3:00:23 PM MST
|Fool.com Article
|A Fool.com article is published. It expands on the details and timeline of the scam, and also includes general information and strategies to help avoid falling prey to it. This one emphasizes the prevalence of cryptocurrency scams, with losses totaling $1 billion in 2021. It warns readers about common scams, like fake giveaways, where scammers impersonate celebrities and request cryptocurrency transfers for supposed verification, ultimately stealing the funds. The article advises readers to be cautious, avoid sending cryptocurrency to unknown addresses, and refrain from sharing sensitive information about their crypto holdings. Additionally, it highlights the irreversible nature of cryptocurrency transactions and the lack of safeguards compared to traditional financial products.
|-
|December 29th, 2022 3:38:59 PM MST
|Bezinga Article Published
|In an article from news outlet Bezinga, exclusive comments from Kevin O'Leary to Benzinga have been added, where he declares his intention to pursue legal action against the hackers who compromised his Twitter account. O'Leary expresses gratitude towards Twitter for their swift response but condemns the hackers for damaging the crypto industry and promises to work with law enforcement to hold them accountable. Additionally, the article mentions O'Leary's recent participation in Benzinga's Future of Crypto summit, where he discussed regulatory frameworks and his investments in FTX. These additions provide further context to O'Leary's reaction to the hacking incident and his stance on cryptocurrency regulation.
|}

== Technical Details ==
This section includes specific detailed technical analysis of any security breaches which happened. What specific software vulnerabilities contributed to the problem and how were they exploited?

== Total Amount Lost ==
The total amount lost is unknown.

How much was lost and how was it calculated? If there are conflicting reports, which are accurate and where does the discrepancy lie?

== Immediate Reactions ==
How did the various parties involved (firm, platform, management, and/or affected individual(s)) deal with the events? Were services shut down? Were announcements made? Were groups formed?

== Ultimate Outcome ==
What was the end result? Was any investigation done? Were any individuals prosecuted? Was there a lawsuit? Was any tracing done?

== Total Amount Recovered ==
The total amount recovered is unknown.

What funds were recovered? What funds were reimbursed for those affected users?

== Ongoing Developments ==
What parts of this case are still remaining to be concluded?
== Individual Prevention Policies ==
{{Prevention:Individuals:Placeholder}}

{{Prevention:Individuals:End}}

== Platform Prevention Policies ==
{{Prevention:Platforms:Placeholder}}

{{Prevention:Platforms:End}}

== Regulatory Prevention Policies ==
{{Prevention:Regulators:Placeholder}}

{{Prevention:Regulators:End}}

== References ==
<references><ref name="fooldotcom-13287">[https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/cryptocurrency/articles/hackers-use-kevin-olearys-twitter-account-to-promote-crypto-scam/ https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/cryptocurrency/articles/hackers-use-kevin-olearys-twitter-account-to-promote-crypto-scam/] (Apr 4, 2023)</ref>

<ref name="finbold-13288">[https://finbold.com/caution-kevin-olearys-twitter-gets-hacked-starts-promoting-crypto-giveaways/ Caution: Kevin O’Leary’s Twitter gets hacked, starts promoting crypto giveaways] (Apr 22, 2024)</ref>

<ref name="theglobeandmail-13289">[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/stocks/TWTR/pressreleases/12890766/ Hackers Use Kevin O'Leary's Twitter Account to Promote Crypto Scam - The Globe and Mail] (Apr 22, 2024)</ref>

<ref name="benzinga-13290">[https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/22/12/30232156/exclusive-i-am-coming-for-you-kevin-oleary-declares-war-on-hackers-after-twitter-account-h EXCLUSIVE: "I Am Coming For You," Kevin O'Leary Declares War On Hackers After Twitter Account Hacked - Benzinga] (Apr 22, 2024)</ref>

<ref name="bitnation-13291">[https://bitnation.co/twitter-account-of-kevin-oleary-hacked-details/ Twitter Account of Kevin O'Leary Hacked: Details] (Apr 22, 2024)</ref>

<ref name="kevinolearytvtwitter-13292">[https://web.archive.org/web/20221229001221/twitter.com/KevinOLearyTv Kevin O'Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) / Twitter] (Apr 22, 2024)</ref></references>

Kevin O Leary Twitter Hack Giveway - Revision history