Barcelona Fans Hit by Instagram Hack Promoting Fake Solana Token Scam (October 2025)
- How Did the Barcelona Instagram Hack Happen?
- Why Did This Scam Gain Traction?
- How Does This Compare to Legitimate Soccer Crypto Projects?
- What Tools Can Prevent Such Scams?
- Key Takeaways for Sports Fans in Crypto
- FC Barcelona Instagram Hack: Your Questions Answered
In a brutal one-two punch for FC Barcelona supporters, the club’s official Instagram was hacked on October 7, 2025, to promote a fraudulent Solana-based token called $FCB. The incident came just days after Barça’s humiliating 4-1 defeat to Sevilla, compounding misery for fans who lost money in the classic "rug pull" scheme. Here’s how the crypto scam unfolded and what it reveals about sports-related crypto risks.
How Did the Barcelona Instagram Hack Happen?
Attackers took control of @fcbarcelona’s verified account (144M followers) to post claims about an "exclusive solana partnership" that would "send holders to the moon." The hacked posts included a wallet address for the $FCB token, which briefly reached a $3M market cap before collapsing 99% within hours. According to Gecko Terminal data, the scammer pocketed $26K via Pump.fun before abandoning the project.
Why Did This Scam Gain Traction?
Three key factors amplified the damage:
- Timing: Occurred during heightened crypto speculation in "Uptober"
- Credibility: Posted on a verified sports giant’s account
- FOMO Mechanics: Used classic memecoin hype language
The most viral post garnered 169K views and 1,400 shares before removal. "When you see your club’s badge promoting a token, even skeptical fans might second-guess," admits Marco Santori, a BTCC market analyst.
How Does This Compare to Legitimate Soccer Crypto Projects?
While fraudulent, the scam exploited growing intersections between football and crypto:
| Club | Legitimate Crypto Project | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| FC Barcelona | $BAR Fan Token | Socios.com |
| PSG | $PSG Fan Token | Socios.com |
| Sheffield United | MANEKI Memecoin Jersey | Solana |
CoinGecko data shows the entire fan token market cap at just $296K across 64 projects - a sobering contrast to the hype.
What Tools Can Prevent Such Scams?
The incident boosted interest in protective bots like Snorter Bot (SNORT), which offers:
- 0.85% trading fees (vs competitors' 1-2%)
- MEV protection
- Multichain support (coming to Ethereum/Base)
"Snorter’s copy-trading feature could’ve flagged the $FCB scam immediately," notes crypto educator Naomi Brockwell.
Key Takeaways for Sports Fans in Crypto
1.- Official projects appear on club websites
2.- "Limited time" claims are red flags
3.- Bots like SNORT add security layers
This article does not constitute investment advice.
FC Barcelona Instagram Hack: Your Questions Answered
How much money was stolen in the $FCB scam?
Approximately $26,000 was extracted by the scammer before the token collapsed, though investor losses likely exceeded $100,000.
Has Barcelona made any official statement?
As of October 12, 2025, the club has only acknowledged the Instagram breach without addressing the crypto scam specifically.
Are fan tokens still worth considering?
While legitimate (like Socios.com tokens), their utility remains limited. The market cap for all fan tokens combined is under $300K according to CoinGecko.
