Hackers Use GTA6 Leak to Scheme Cryptocurrency Pump and Dump
Security experts have discovered that the hacker group CyberLeek utilized leaked content from the GTA 6 game footage to orchestrate a cryptocurrency pump and dump scheme, initially leaking two documents and selling them on the dark web.
After the documents were purchased, individuals created multiple domain names and a Solana token named Cyberleek. Subsequently, around 20 fake accounts continuously bought in similar amounts over three days, artificially inflating the market value to several million dollars, while the organizers sold off at high prices, leaving later buyers with devalued tokens.
The hackers also set up a vote for users to choose the next leaked content, but voting required prior purchase of the token. Ultimately, only one option received about 200 votes, while the others received none, indicating the results were manipulated.
On-chain data shows that the token was launched days before the leak, with a single-day trading volume peaking at around $11.8 million and a price surge exceeding 5000% in a short period, benefiting early holders while later participants incurred losses.
Research suggests that the initial hackers may be from northern Germany, but subsequent dissemination and the cryptocurrency scam may have been led by another profit-driven group.
From a market mechanism perspective, fake accounts and early holders acted as buyers to drive up prices before switching to sellers for cashing out. The incident was driven by traffic from the game leak, with funds flowing from later retail investors to organizers and early wallets, putting pressure on token holders and late investors, with the leak itself becoming a tool for traffic generation.
Source: Public Information
ABAB AI Insight
CyberLeek previously issued a declaration under the guise of protesting game rights, demanding the cancellation of digital pre-orders, while simultaneously embedding token QR codes and purchase links in the leaked video. Their operational path aligns with anonymous groups that have repeatedly utilized trending events to issue meme coins in recent years, including launching quickly using political figures or pop culture to extract profits.
In terms of capital flow, the organizers first registered domain names and tokens, then used leaked materials obtained through dark web transactions as advertising, creating trading volume through fake accounts to attract real funds. Their motive is to directly monetize the game's popularity into on-chain profits, with resources rapidly flowing from retail wallets to a few early addresses.
Similar cases can be seen with multiple Solana meme coins packaged as leaks, hacker statements, or social topics, most of which collapse within days. This operation is currently in a mature stage of transitioning from content leakage to traffic monetization, with the voting mechanism further locking in buyer funds.
Structurally, this represents a transfer of pricing power: hot attention is converted into token liquidity, with the mechanism being that leaked content becomes an irreplaceable scarce advertising space, allowing organizers to create supply-demand imbalances within a fixed supply of tokens and complete high-level sell-offs.
ABAB News · Cognitive Law
- The leak itself is the best advertising space.
- The choice to buy tokens to vote is never a choice.
- The more real the hot topic, the easier the scam is to execute.