Another day, another crypto hack. Hackers hijacked the official DOTA 2 YouTube account to advertise dota2coin, a Solana-based memecoin.
The hack came to surface on 15 October 2025, when the scammers started a livestream claiming to launch an official DOTA 2 token.
The livestream, headlined “Dota 2 Launch Official Meme Coin Hurry Up,” showcased a (now expired) URL for a Pump.fun token page that redirected viewers back to the compromised YouTube channel.
Looks like Valve’s official Dota 2 YouTube channel was hacked by crypto scammers
lmao pic.twitter.com/p82ReIPrWW
— Brad Lynch (@SadlyItsBradley) October 15, 2025
On-chain data highlights that the hackers launched the coin only a few hours before the hacking incident, a telltale sign of a pump-and-dump. Further to this, it also revealed that a single wallet contained more than 98% of the token supply.
The coin’s market capitalization crashed 22%, falling below $5,500 within minutes of the livestream from its original opening price. At the same time, Reddit community members in the r/DotA2 community posted screenshots and warnings for anyone participating.
This was a coordinated attack since, an hour later, the hackers also hacked the PGL YouTube channel. For the uninformed, PGL is a Romanian gaming community that hosts Valve-licensed events.
Now the PGL channel is hacked by some Bitcoin scammers
byu/thexbeatboxer inDotA2
Hackers, on that channel streamed a fake Bitcoin giveaway, impersonating Strategy’s Michael Saylor and gaining over 2,000 views at one point.
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Phishing Emails: The YouTube Crypto Hack Starter Pack
The modus operandi in this case is the same as earlier YouTube rug pulls. Scammers take over legitimate accounts, rebrand them to mimic famous crypto personalities or companies, and then run a livestream pitch hyping fake tokens or giveaways.
In most instances, attackers use fake phishing mails disguised as sponsorship deals to access verified accounts.
🎣 Phishing Alert!
Hackers use lookalike domains to trick you into clicking fake links. These sites steal logins, banking info & more.
🛡️ Stay safe:
🔹 Double-check URLs
🔹 Don’t log in via links
🔹 Bookmark official sites👉 Check the full guide: https://t.co/4jTwQGWncn
Stay… pic.twitter.com/4sxOtaQmwq
— Tuta (@TutaPrivacy) October 10, 2025
Once the scammers are in, they start a livestream for their shakedown operations, trying to trick people into sending crypto or buying fake tokens. In one incident, the scammers compromised the YouTube account belonging to India’s Supreme Court to promote a fake XRP giveaway.
Google’s Threat Analysis Group has previously outlined the modus operandi of these scams, with attackers pretending to be exchanges like Binance or Gemini in an attempt to add credibility to their scams.
Previously, hackers have impersonated tech personalities such as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, in a Bitcoin giveaway scam, taking away victims’ lifetime savings.
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Crypto Crimes Have Evolved From Phishing To Organized Crime At Scale
Aside from the DOTA 2 take-over, another case in the UK highlights the evolution of crypto scams into large scale organized crime.
On October 16, 2025, the Metropolitan Police detained five suspects in the UK in connection with a mass-scale cryptocurrency investment scam, potentially defrauding thousands and likely to result in losses upwards of £1 million ($1.34 approximately.)
The suspects ran several sites, selling fake presale access to newly launched cryptocurrencies. The sites promised high payouts and guaranteed that the tokens would get listed on large exchanges.
In reality, the entire endeavor was a nonstarter. Victims were misled and left holding assets that were worthless.
This scam, as well as others in recent times, highlight the increased complexity of crypto crimes. It’s no longer simply phishing mails or forged livestreams. Scammers are building entire ecosystems with the intention of mimicking actual crypto projects. The Met’s Economic Crime Directorate are now encouraging victims to report the crime.
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Key Takeaways
-
Hackers hijacked DOTA 2’s YouTube to promote a fake Solana meme coin: dota2coin -
The scam used livestreams and fake token links to trick viewers into buying worthless assets -
UK police arrested five people for running fake crypto presale sites defrauding thousands
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