Breaking Bad Star Dean Norris’ X Account Hacked to Promote Scam Memecoin

Highlights:

• Norris’ account was hacked to promote the fraudulent memecoin DEAN, sparking widespread confusion.
• Hackers shared a fake video and photo of Norris to make it real.
• Norris responded angrily, clarifying he doesn’t use Telegram and was unaware of the hack.

Dean Norris, known for playing Hank Schrader in Breaking Bad, X’s account was hacked to promote a fraudulent memecoin named DEAN. The token promotion post was deleted, but users saved screenshots.

Hackers shared a video of Dean Norris on X. In the video, he said, “Hey, it’s me, Dean, and on January 25th, I’m declaring it’s real.” The hackers also spread a fake photo of Norris holding a note with details of his new cryptocurrency, leading users to think it was real. Meanwhile, some Reddit users think the video could be a deepfake or a paid video taken out of context. The actor is active on Cameo, a site where users pay celebrities for custom videos.

One of the most believable hackings/scams I’ve seen on here. They had a follow up tweet ready with a photoshopped notepad to “validate” it, had a cameo purchased of Dean Norris saying “Hey it’s me, Dean, it’s January 25th, I’m declaring, it’s real” https://t.co/dz5RYbh2U0 pic.twitter.com/BGF1xvtCls

— Tyler (@CowboysIn4) January 26, 2025

Norris’ Angry Reaction

Norris addressed the hack through a video and social media posts titled “I WAS HACKED!!! ALL A FAKE SCAM!!” He expressed frustration at Reddit users, saying, “Go [expletive] yourselves.” Norris explained the delay in his response, stating he doesn’t spend much time on Twitter and wasn’t aware of the hack until friends texted him about it.

pic.twitter.com/J646HHfPiq

— Dean Norris (@deanjnorris) January 26, 2025

Another video of Dean Norris promoting his Telegram channel is circulating on X. A user, @CryptoGalHannah, posted, “I lost a lot of money on it! How did the hacker get videos of you talking about the coin, the Telegram, and all that stuff?” However, Norris clarified, “I don’t have a Telegram account. FFS.”

And another thing, since I don't spend my life on twitter like these other folks, I rarely use it, I didn't know I was hacked until I started getting texts from friends saying its out there. I immediately reported to X and was resolved.
I clicked on a couple accounts accusing me…

— Dean Norris (@deanjnorris) January 26, 2025

Blockchain data tracker DexScreener shows that DEAN’s market cap reached about $8.43 million on January 25 but has since dropped to under $60,000. The price of the memecoin has fallen by more than 96%.

Norris’ Account Hacked Again for Crypto Scam, X Community Reacts with Humor

Hackers targeted Norris’ account for a crypto scam for the second time. In September, it promoted a fake coin, $SHRADER, on the TRON blockchain. 

In addition to the hack, the reaction from the X community was full of humor. Many funny posts and comments flooded the platform. One user joked, “Wrong move! You should have joined them, demanded part of the supply, and pumped the token beyond the Blue Sky! It would have made more money.” Meanwhile, others compared Norris’ response to his Breaking Bad character, Hank, calling him a badass. These posts reflect how Twitter drama has turned into daily entertainment for users.

The rise in celebrity account hacks and fraudulent crypto promotions harms the crypto industry’s credibility. Hackers compromised Nasdaq’s X account last week to promote a meme coin. Deepfakes and advanced social engineering tactics make it hard to distinguish real endorsements from fake ones. Moreover, Donald Trump’s recent $TRUMP coin announcement also raised doubts about a hack.