Scammers Impersonate Tyler Hobbs in Fake QQL NFT Mint Scheme
Attackers created social media accounts posing as generative artist Tyler Hobbs to promote a fraudulent QQL mint, leading to at least one drained wallet.
Scammers have impersonated generative artist Tyler Hobbs across multiple social media accounts to promote a fraudulent QQL NFT mint, resulting in at least one confirmed loss of funds, according to CryptoNews.
On Oct. 20, Yuga Labs Vice President of Blockchain Quit warned on X that several accounts were falsely claiming that public minting had reopened for the Ethereum-based generative art project. Quit stated that one individual suffered a drained wallet after interacting with the scheme, while a second user averted an exploit using the Pocket Universe security tool. The specific financial losses, malicious transaction hashes, and targeted wallet addresses were not publicly disclosed.
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Fraud Reuses 2022 Auction Terms
Circulating posts indicated that the fraudulent campaign advertised a Dutch auction for 900 QQL Mint Passes with an opening price of 50 ETH. The promotion claimed the sale stemmed from partnerships involving the project's original creators.
Those parameters matched the genuine September 2022 launch of QQL, which was created collaboratively by Hobbs and Dandelion Mané. During the original sale, 900 passes sold out in under an hour, settling at a clearing price of 14 ETH and generating 12,600 ETH—worth approximately $16.7 million at the time.
Project documentation confirms that QQL minting has not reopened to the general public. While existing Mint Pass holders retain the right to burn unexpired passes to generate permanent collection artworks at any time, official channels have launched no new public auction.
Key facts
- Yuga Labs blockchain executive Quit alerted users on Oct. 20 to multiple accounts impersonating artist Tyler Hobbs.
- The fraudulent scheme promoted a fake Dutch auction offering 900 QQL Mint Passes at a 50 ETH starting price.
- At least one wallet was drained, while another user avoided asset loss through security extension Pocket Universe.
- Official QQL public minting has not reopened, though original 2022 Mint Pass holders can still mint without expiration.
Source: crypto.news
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