X Targets Crypto Scams After Viral 'Dead Tortoise' Memecoin Hoax

- A Solana memecoin phishing scam used viral misinformation about the world's oldest tortoise. - Social media platform X announces new verification measures to prevent cryptocurrency fraud. On April 2, 2026, a bizarre phishing scam capitalized on false claims about the death of Jonathan, the world’s oldest living tortoise. A scammer created a fake X account to impersonate Joe Hollins, the veterinarian for the 193-year-old tortoise who resides on St. Helena, and spread a hoax that Jonathan had died. The scammer’s goal was to drive attention to a fraudulent Solana-based memecoin named “JONATHAN,” which triggered widespread mourning online. As the misinformation went viral, the JONATHAN token surged in value by over 6,000%, briefly reaching a market capitalization of $380,000. However, the token’s value crashed to approximately $50,000 after the news was debunked. On April 2, Binance News reported that St. Helena officials and Jonathan’s veterinarian had verified the tortoise was alive and well. In response to the incident, the social media platform X announced stricter security measures for accounts that post about cryptocurrency. On April 3, Phemex reported that X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, proposed to lock an account after its first cryptocurrency-related post. The account would remain locked until the user completes a verification process, a step Bier stated could eliminate "99% of the incentive" for such fraudulent schemes. According to market data on April 3 at 14:08 UTC, Solana (SOL) traded at $79.816, an increase of 2.579% in its 24-hour trading volume.