Fortnite and Minecraft content creator PainfulPVP has had his YouTube channel deleted after hackers tried to pull off a Cryptocurrency scam to his followers.
James Garrod, known as PainfulPVP to his fanbase, is a Fortnite and Minecraft content creator. Amassing a huge 31 million views during his YouTube tenure, the creator has specifically become a staple with the Minecraft community. However, Garrod has found himself in a strange situation.
While some crypto scams have just used the names of popular creators to get some traction, this one went a step further and took over Garrod’s channel for good.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have been used in a wide range of online scams.
Hackers are promoting crypto
In a random turn of events, Garrod’s once 500,000 subscriber strong channel, was turned into a hub for cryptocurrency.
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Promoting Ethereum – a nearly 10-year old crypto that has recently caught the attention of tech moguls like Elon Musk – in the form of livestreams, the hackers were purporting that it’ll hit $40,000 stakes in ads to Garrod’s followers.
Since the initial hack took place, Garrod has tried to resolve the situation. Calling for help over on his Twitter feed, the creator has sought guidance from official entities. “Hey YouTube…someone just hacked my YouTube, DM asap please” Garrod’s calls for help began.
Hey @YouTube @TeamYouTube @YouTubeCreators my account has been hacked, they deleted all of my videos and are trying to scam my fans, PLEASE HELP! My account was https://t.co/9vVeZ9uOPo but they changed it.
— Painful (@JamesGarrod7) September 3, 2021
Hey @YouTube @YouTubeCreators someone just hacked my YouTube, DM asap please.
— Painful (@JamesGarrod7) September 3, 2021
After numerous tweets calling for a response, Garrod ultimately had his channel deleted after it violated YouTube’s community guidelines. “I’ve reached out to the YouTube hijack team and I’m hoping to hear from them sometime soon,” he tweeted, thanking the community for trying to chip in and help him out.
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YouTube responded to Garrod, requesting the Minecraft creator take the discussion into private messaging. It is unclear whether the creator will be able to restore his channel in the future.
Sorry to hear this – we’ve sent you a DM for the next steps, and we’ll wait for your reply there.
— TeamYouTube (@TeamYouTube) September 3, 2021
For now, the scammers have been temporarily thwarted. Fans of PainfulPVP have been showing their support, tweeting messages like: “Don’t worry everything happens for a reason and it’ll be resolved.”
Another passionate fan added: “I’m sure that you will get your channel back just be patient.”
Since taking the discussion into privacy, no further updates have been released on the status of Garrod’s channel.
