In a startling turn of events, a pseudonymous crypto investor known as Zaiken recently lost $245,000 to a sophisticated scam. The ordeal began when Zaiken received an unsolicited message from someone posing as a representative of Andreessen Horowitz, the renowned venture-capital firm also known as a16z.
The offer appeared legitimate and enticing: an invitation to be featured on a podcast with Peter Lauten, a partner at a16z who has facilitated $42 billion in investments since joining the firm in 2016. Elated by the opportunity, Zaiken didn’t suspect any foul play.
However, the message turned out to be part of a deceptive social-engineering scheme. The scammer, using Lauten’s old X (formerly Twitter) username, convinced Zaiken to download malware. This malicious software subsequently enabled the scammer to steal $245,000 worth of cryptocurrency from Zaiken’s account.
“The attacker just managed to take advantage of my lack of attention,” said Zaiken, who has been an active participant in the crypto industry since 2016. He described the scam as “convincing,” noting that the a16z website and several X posts from the firm’s account still pointed to Lauten’s old username, which the scammer had exploited.
This incident underscores the increasingly elaborate lengths to which scammers will go to deceive their victims. Even influential companies and their employees can inadvertently aid these bad actors through actions as simple as changing a username without updating all references.
Neither Peter Lauten nor Andreessen Horowitz responded to requests for comment.
Impersonation scams are a growing concern globally. According to an April 1 report by the US Federal Trade Commission, scams involving impersonation of businesses and government agencies are among the most frequently reported frauds. Similarly, UK banks have reported a rise in impersonation scams targeting both businesses and consumers. This incident involving Zaiken is a stark reminder of the vigilance required to navigate the digital landscape safely.
