Bitcoin.org, an open-source project that looks to further support the advancement of bitcoin, was hacked early Thursday morning with a giveaway scam, causing the website to go dark after several users fell victim to the fraud.

On Thursday morning, visitors to the Bitcoin.org site were met with a message advising them that the site is inaccessible, while the site’s developers look into the hack. Earlier in the morning, the site was hacked with a pop-up message on the homepage prompting users to sent crypto funds to a bitcoin wallet, promising double returns. The message alleged it was associated with the Bitcoin Foundation, and that it was “giving back to the community.”

The message on Bitcoin.org— which is actually not related to the Bitcoin Foundation, also included a QR code for users to send funds to a wallet, while all other features on the website were blocked by the hackers. According to CoinDesk, the wallet received a combined $17,700, comprised of numerous small transactions.

Information for this briefing was found via CoinDesk and Bitcoin.org. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.