Econet’s official Support account on X (@econet_support) has been compromised. We were first tipped by @NZhuwawo, and confirmed that the account’s name and description have been repeatedly changed, all pointing to crypto-related content. Fortunately, the hijackers haven’t posted anything yet, at least for now.
We reached out to Econet and they are aware of the hack and have engaged with X to resolve the matter.
It’s not yet clear how the takeover happened, but there are a few possibilities:
- Someone with admin access may have had weak security practices, like reusing passwords or skipping two-factor authentication.
- A phishing attempt could have tricked someone into giving up credentials.
- Or, less likely, X itself could have experienced a security lapse.
Whatever the cause, this shouldn’t happen at a company the size of Econet, especially for an account customers rely on for official support. We’ll update you once Econet regains full control of the account.
How Long Does It Take X to Restore a Hacked Account?
When a company account like Econet Support gets compromised, regaining control isn’t always instant. Based on similar incidents:
- Fast-track cases (24–72 hours):
Verified brands like Econet usually get priority support. Once they prove ownership, typically via company email verification or business documents, X can restore access fairly quickly. - Standard cases (3–7 days):
If the request isn’t escalated, account recovery can sit in X’s support queue for several days, especially since their moderation team is smaller than before. - Complex cases (1–2+ weeks):
If attackers change security settings, like enabling their own multi-factor authentication, the process can get more complicated and take longer.
Since Econet says they’ve already engaged X, restoration should be on the faster end, but there’s no fixed timeline.
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