X Proposes ‘Scam Circuit Breaker’ to Auto-Lock Accounts Over First Crypto Posts

Elon Musk’s social media platform X has long faced problems involving impersonation, phishing and cryptocurrency scams. Attackers have recently used fraudulent copyright-complaint emails to steal accounts, then exploited those accounts’ credibility to induce users to transfer funds. X has not disclosed the resulting losses, renewing scrutiny of its account security and anti-fraud safeguards.

As of July 19, 2026, X product chief Nikita Bier had proposed a “scam circuit breaker” under which the system would automatically lock an account the first time it posts about cryptocurrency. The account would remain locked until its owner completed identity verification. The proposed rule targets a high-risk behavioral signal, but X has not announced a formal launch date, the number of accounts that could be affected or the amount of money involved in related cases.