Crypto Scammers Fake Death of World's Oldest Tortoise to Solicit Donations
Fraudsters impersonated Jonathan the giant tortoise's veterinarian on X to collect cryptocurrency donations under the pretense of mourning his death — while the 190-year-old animal slept peacefully under a tree.
A crypto scam exploiting the supposed death of Jonathan, the famous giant tortoise living on the island of St. Helena, was exposed this week after the animal's actual veterinarian confirmed he was very much alive [1].
A now-deleted account on X posed as Jonathan's longtime vet, publishing an emotional farewell message and simultaneously soliciting cryptocurrency donations. The post spread rapidly, with several major media outlets picking up the story before the deception was uncovered [1].
The real veterinarian, who has no presence on X, was quick to set the record straight, stating plainly: "Jonathan is very much alive" and calling the post "a scam" [1].
The governor of St. Helena, woken in the middle of the night by concerned messages from around the world, personally went to check on the tortoise. He found Jonathan asleep beneath a tree. The governor later addressed the incident with a degree of humor, invoking a Mark Twain quote about reports of one's death being "greatly exaggerated" [1].
The scheme is a textbook example of emotionally manipulative tactics increasingly used by crypto fraudsters, who leverage popular and sympathetic figures to lower victims' guard and extract digital assets [1].
Sources
- [1]btc-echo.de
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