Hello, thanks as all the time for studying TechCrunch. We wish to speak with you rapidly about one thing necessary.
We’ve found that scammers are impersonating TechCrunch reporters and occasion leads and reaching out to corporations, pretending to be our workers once they completely usually are not. These unhealthy actors are utilizing our identify and status to attempt to dupe unsuspecting companies. It drives us loopy and infuriates us in your behalf.
Anecdotally, this isn’t simply occurring to us; fraudsters are exploiting the belief that comes with established information manufacturers to get their foot within the door with corporations throughout the media trade.
Right here’s an instance of the most typical scheme we’ve been monitoring: impostors impersonating our reporters to extract delicate enterprise data from unsuspecting targets. In a number of instances we find out about, scammers have adopted the id of precise workers members, crafting what seems to be like a regular media inquiry about an organization’s merchandise and requesting an introductory name.
Sharp-eyed recipients typically catch discrepancies in e-mail addresses that don’t match our actual workers’ credentials. However these schemes evolve rapidly; unhealthy actors preserve refining their techniques, mimicking reporters’ writing types and referencing startup traits to make their pitches more and more convincing. Equally troubling: victims who conform to cellphone interviews inform us the fraudsters use these calls to dig for much more proprietary particulars.
Why are they doing this? We don’t know, although an inexpensive guess is that these are teams in search of preliminary entry to a community.
As for what to do about it, if somebody reaches out claiming to be from TechCrunch and you’ve got even the slightest doubt about whether or not they’re legit, please don’t simply take their phrase for it. We’ve made it simple so that you can confirm.
Techcrunch occasion
San Francisco
|
October 27-29, 2025
Begin by checking our workers web page. It’s the quickest solution to see if the individual contacting you truly works right here. If the person’s identify isn’t on our roster, you’ve obtained your reply proper there.
In case you do see somebody’s identify on our workers web page, however our worker’s job description doesn’t sq. with the request you’re receiving (i.e., a TechCrunch copy editor is immediately very focused on studying about your enterprise!), a nasty actor is making an attempt to con you.
If it appears like a legit request however you wish to make doubly sure, you must also be at liberty to contact us instantly and simply ask (you’ll be able to discover ways to attain every author, editor, gross sales exec, advertising guru, and occasions staff member in our bios).
We all know it’s irritating to should double-check media inquiries, however these teams are relying on you not taking that further step. By being vigilant about verification, you’re not simply defending your individual firm — you’re serving to protect the belief that legit journalists rely on to do their jobs.
Thanks.
