TL;DR
- Hackers compromised two official Irish police accounts on X, reaching a combined audience of more than 900,000 followers.
- The attackers published hundreds of fraudulent posts promoting fake XRP allocations and directing users toward links associated with the Xaman wallet.
- An Garda SÃochána confirmed that the breach was limited to X, with no evidence of unauthorized access to internal police systems or data. An investigation is underway in cooperation with the platform.
Ireland’s national police force, An Garda SÃochána, warned the public on October 15, 2026, after hackers took control of two official X accounts and used them to promote a fraudulent XRP airdrop. The incident exposed a large audience to misleading cryptocurrency offers and highlighted how account security can affect trust in digital assets.
The compromised profiles, @GardaInfo and @GardaTraffic, had a combined following of more than 900,000 users. The attackers exploited the credibility of the police accounts to distribute hundreds of posts advertising fake XRP allocations.
Hackers Exploit Irish Police X Accounts To Promote Fake XRP Offers
According to An Garda SÃochána, unauthorized access began at approximately 11 p.m. on October 14. The police confirmed the incident the following day and urged users to avoid interacting with the compromised accounts.
The fraudulent messages directed followers toward links associated with Xaman, a cryptocurrency wallet previously known as Xumm. The wallet provider confirmed that the advertised XRP allocations were fraudulent and had no legitimate connection to its service.
Airdrop scams commonly promise free tokens in exchange for connecting a wallet, visiting a malicious website or completing a transaction. Depending on the method used, victims may expose sensitive information, approve harmful blockchain transactions or lose access to their funds.
The incident demonstrates how scammers can exploit established institutions rather than impersonating cryptocurrency projects alone. An official profile with a substantial following can lend an appearance of legitimacy to offers that would otherwise raise suspicion.
Garda Confirms Internal Systems Remained Secure
An Garda SÃochána stated that the compromise was confined to the X platform. Authorities reported no evidence that internal police systems or data had been accessed without authorization.
The distinction matters because a social media breach does not automatically indicate that an organization’s internal network has been compromised. However, unauthorized access to official accounts can still expose followers to financial risks and create confusion about legitimate public communications.
The police also cautioned users against engaging with the affected profiles and warned about potential impersonator accounts that could exploit the incident. Meanwhile, X is cooperating with investigators as they work to determine how the attackers obtained control of the accounts.
