In a post on X, Steinberger said he has never issued any tokens and has no plans to do so. He added that any project listing him as a token project party or holder is a scam.
His message was direct and personal, urging crypto practitioners to stop harassment and misinformation linked to fake token launches.
How the Impersonation Happened
The statement comes at a time when developers and open source builders are increasingly targeted by scammers who exploit credibility to promote fraudulent tokens. Steinberger’s warning is a reminder that not every name attached to a crypto project is legitimate.
Steinberger explained that the situation escalated after a trademark issue forced him to rename ClawdBot to Moltbot. During the account renaming process, an operational error left his GitHub and X accounts vulnerable. Crypto scammers quickly squatted the handles and began using them to promote fake token narratives tied to his identity.
He said he is currently seeking official assistance from GitHub to recover the compromised accounts. Until that process is complete, Steinberger reiterated that he will not accept any token related fees, partnerships, or payments. Any claims suggesting otherwise are false.
This type of takeover is not rare. A real world example surfaced last year when scammers impersonated well known open source developers to promote fake layer two tokens, briefly driving trading volume before disappearing. In many cases, victims only realized the deception after funds were lost.
A Growing Trend in Crypto Scams
Impersonation scams are a rising problem across the crypto industry. According to data from Chainalysis, crypto related scams cost users billions of dollars annually, with social media impersonation playing a major role. As token launches have become easier and faster, scammers increasingly borrow trusted names to create a sense of legitimacy.
The trend also reflects a broader issue. Open source builders often share work publicly, which makes their identities easier to copy. When combined with hype driven token culture, the risk of abuse grows. Steinberger’s call to stop harassment highlights the human cost behind these scams, not just the financial one.
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