Dota 2 YouTube Channel Hacked in Crypto Scam Attack

The cybersecurity breach began late Wednesday when hackers compromised the official Dota 2 YouTube channel, transforming it into a platform for promoting a Solana-based token called dota2coin. The attackers livestreamed a video titled “Dota 2 Launch Official Meme Coin | Hurry Up” that directed viewers to a PumpFun token page. Within an hour, the attack expanded to include PGL’s YouTube channel, a Romanian esports organizer responsible for hosting Valve-sanctioned Dota 2 tournaments. The PGL channel was hijacked to broadcast a fake Bitcoin giveaway impersonating MicroStrategy executive Michael Saylor, attracting over 2,000 viewers at its peak before being taken down.

Decrypt independently verified the compromise through notification history logs and screenshots captured before the fraudulent content was removed. The timing coincided with broader YouTube platform issues reported by 9to5Google, where some users experienced playback errors and inability to watch videos. Both Valve and PGL were contacted for confirmation, while PumpFun co-founders did not immediately respond to requests for comment in their Telegram group. The incidents represent a sophisticated targeting of gaming-related YouTube channels with established credibility and large followings.

The fraudulent dota2coin exhibited textbook pump-and-dump characteristics from its inception. According to data from Pump.fun, the token’s market cap plummeted approximately 21% since its launch at roughly 21:55 UTC, collapsing to around $5,500 at the time of writing. On-chain metrics revealed the token was created within hours of the YouTube hack, showing less than 3% bonding curve progress and a single wallet controlling over 98% of the token supply. This concentration of ownership in one wallet created perfect conditions for a classic rug pull, where the creator could dump their holdings on unsuspecting investors attracted by the official-looking promotion.

The coin’s description included a link back to the official Dota 2 YouTube channel, creating a circular verification loop designed to lend legitimacy to the scam. Reddit users on the r/DotA2 thread quickly documented the hack, posting screenshots of the fake token promotion and warning community members not to engage. The rapid community response highlighted how crypto-savvy gaming audiences are becoming increasingly vigilant against such schemes, though the brief window of exposure still presented significant risk to less experienced investors.

This latest breach follows a familiar pattern observed across multiple high-profile YouTube hijackings dating back to at least 2020. According to previous reports citing Google’s Threat Analysis Group, attackers systematically compromise verified YouTube accounts, often through phishing emails disguised as sponsorship offers. Once control is gained, hackers typically rebrand channels to impersonate known crypto figures or exchanges like Binance and Gemini, then broadcast counterfeit crypto events or fake giveaways.

The sophistication of these attacks has escalated to include institutional and public-sector targets. Last year, India’s Supreme Court YouTube channel was hacked to promote an XRP-branded scam stream using identical tactics to the Dota 2 case. Even tech icons have been weaponized in these schemes—in August, fake videos using Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak’s likeness resulted in victims losing “life savings” in similar Bitcoin giveaway scams. The consistent methodology across these incidents suggests organized groups are refining their approach to account takeover and social engineering.

While there are no indications of user data being compromised beyond the fraudulent promotions in the Dota 2 and PGL incidents, the repeated success of these attacks raises questions about YouTube’s security protocols for verified accounts. The platform’s ongoing struggle to prevent such hijackings creates persistent vulnerabilities that scammers continue to exploit, targeting both the crypto-curious and established gaming communities with equal effectiveness.