Dean Norris Speaks Out After X Account Hacked to Promote Scam Memecoin

Dean Norris, widely recognized for his role as Hank Schrader in Breaking Bad, became the latest victim of a cryptocurrency scam after his X account was hacked to promote a fraudulent memecoin named DEAN. In a video shared on January 26, Norris confirmed that his account had been compromised, calling the memecoin “a complete, fake scam.”

The hackers used Norris’s platform to share doctored images and misleading content, including a manipulated photo of the actor holding a sign with the token’s ticker and launch date. One video posted during the hack falsely portrayed Norris endorsing the project, saying, “Hey, it’s me, Dean, and on January 25th, I’m declaring it’s real.” Speculation from social media users suggests this clip may have been either an AI-generated deepfake or a Cameo video taken out of context.

While Norris swiftly regained control of his account, the fallout was immediate. Some Reddit users lashed out at him, believing the promotion was genuine. In his video response, Norris didn’t mince words, lambasting critics for unjust accusations and expressing frustration over the ordeal.

DEAN Token Collapses Following Pump-and-Dump Scheme

The fraudulent campaign caused DEAN’s market cap to temporarily surge, peaking at $8.43 million on January 25, according to blockchain tracker DexScreener. However, the token’s value quickly plummeted by more than 96%, dropping to under $60,000 within 24 hours. The rapid rise and fall of DEAN is a textbook example of a pump-and-dump scheme, where hype is artificially inflated before the perpetrators sell off their holdings, leaving unsuspecting investors with heavy losses.

Notably, Norris also clarified that he doesn’t have a Telegram account and rarely uses X, stating, “I didn’t know I was hacked until I started getting texts from friends saying it’s out there.”

Celebrity Crypto Hacks on the Rise

Norris’s account hack comes amid the rising X account hacks for crypto fraud. In November, on-chain investigator ZachXBT linked a project tied to a former Fortnite player to multiple high-profile social media takeovers, including those of McDonald’s, Usher, and Norris himself.

The incident also follows the January 18 launch of a surprise memecoin inspired by Donald Trump, which briefly soared to a $9 billion market cap. As scams and speculative tokens proliferate, these events underscore the need for stronger security measures and increased public awareness in the crypto space.