Fox News reporter exposes fake BlackRock token scam

Fox News reporter Eleanor Terrett has warned about a misleading news article circulating the Internet.

The publication used its name and official Fox News graphics to promote a scam involving a non-existent BlackRock token.

The fraudulent piece

Terrett sounded the alarm to X and said:

“There is a fake article circulating with my name and official Fox graphics to promote a scam BlackRock token sale.”

It also warned users to remain vigilant against the scam. A screenshot he shared revealed details of the item.

The fake report, dated December 5, falsely claimed that BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, had launched a pre-sale of a token called “BlackRock Token (BRT)”. The publication described this fictitious token as an “innovative” initiative to integrate blockchain technology into traditional finance.

He also urged readers to visit a fake website, “BlackRockToken(.)net,” to participate in the presale. The site allegedly provided detailed information on the project, including step-by-step purchase guides, information on tokenomics and utilities, and updates on alleged milestones.

The publication included promotional claims highlighting the “BlackRock Advantage,” describing the token as a testament to BlackRock’s leadership in financial innovation. He stated that the initiative leverages the company’s resources, experience and commitment to deliver exceptional value to investors, positioning the project as a combination of traditional finance and the potential of blockchain.

The scam news article attempted to appear legitimate by featuring an AI-generated image that resembled Fox News graphics and attributed false writing credits to Eleanor Terrett and FOX Business.

Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time BlackRock has been on the wrong end of such an incident. Last year, on November 13, a false filing appeared on the Delaware Division of Corporations website, claiming that the asset manager had registered an “iShares XRP Trust.” However, Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas later confirmed with the company that the document was fraudulent.

Similar exploits

This incident is part of a wider trend of cryptocurrency-related scams and hacks targeting high-profile platforms and figures. On December 8, Cardano Foundation’s X account was hacked to promote a fake token called “ADAsol”.

The bad actors falsely claimed that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had filed suit against Cardano and alleged that the foundation would stop supporting ADA.

Similarly, in September, a Bloomberg report revealed that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s X account was compromised to advertise a fake token called “$OPENAI.”

The fake post, full of errors such as referring to the token as “$OPEANAI”, encouraged users to connect their wallets to a phishing website with a deceptive URL, “token-openai(.)com “. The site promised early access to future OpenAI beta programs, taking advantage of unsuspecting users eager to profit from the non-existent cryptocurrency.

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