These YouTube creators, hacked by scammers, have yet to recover
Mashable
February 23, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Two YouTube creators, Steve and Danielle, known as Vegas Action, shared their harrowing experience after their channel was hacked by crypto scammers posing as representatives of Duolingo, a popular language app. The incident occurred when the couple agreed to collaborate with what they believed was an advertiser for their gambling content aimed at non-English speaking viewers. However, the scammers exploited this opportunity to gain control of Danielle's email and subsequently took over the YouTube channel. Following the hack, the channel was briefly shut down by YouTube, leading to a significant loss of subscribers and momentum. While the creators eventually regained control after reaching out to a high-profile YouTuber with connections at Google, their channel's growth has been severely impacted, highlighting the long-term consequences of such attacks.
The scammers' tactics involved phishing, where they impersonated potential advertisers to gain access to sensitive information. They exploited Danielle's email account, which was secured with two-factor authentication, and used it to take control of the YouTube channel. The couple noticed the breach within an hour but found themselves in a constant battle to retain control. The scammers launched a livestream promoting cryptocurrency on Steve and Danielle's channel, leading YouTube to shut down the account entirely. This left the creators devastated, as they scrambled to inform their audience through social media while awaiting Google's response.
Steve and Danielle faced weeks of uncertainty before Brian Christopher, a popular gaming YouTuber with over 750,000 subscribers, intervened on their behalf. After contacting his network at Google, the couple regained control of their channel without an official explanation from YouTube. This experience underscores the vulnerabilities faced by content creators in managing their channels and the importance of vigilance against phishing attempts. The incident also raises questions about platform security and the support available to creators when such incidents occur.
This story is significant for tech enthusiasts and online professionals, as it highlights the risks associated with digital content creation and the need for robust cybersecurity measures. The hacking not only disrupted Steve and Danielle's livelihood but also serves as a cautionary tale about verifying advertisers and protecting sensitive information. It emphasizes the importance of staying alert to potential scams and the impact they can have on one's online presence.
The broader implication is that creators must remain cautious when engaging with
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Originally published on Mashable on 2/23/2026