Observed Signal · Sep 18, 2026 · Security Incident · Source: AdExchanger · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
HBO Max Reddit Account Hacked for Ad Fraud
HBO Max's verified Reddit account was compromised by a hacker group, which ran 108 ad variations over two days before being detected. The malicious ads promoted fake HBO Max downloads and promos, using a lookalike domain 'hbomax.us' to deceive users into data harvesting. Reddit stated it locked the account, removed the ads, and is working with HBO Max to enhance security. Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO Max's parent, did not comment. The breach reportedly stemmed from a compromised employee account, highlighting ongoing ad account takeover risks. The article also notes similar issues on Google Ads and calls for platforms to notify users affected by scam ads.
Highlights ongoing ad account takeover vulnerabilities and platform security gaps, but is a single incident without industry-wide impact.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- HBO Max's verified Reddit account was taken over by a hacker group.
- The attackers ran 108 ad variations targeting Reddit users.
- Malicious ads used domain 'hbomax.us' to trick users into data harvesting.
- Reddit locked the account and removed the ads after discovery.
- Warner Bros. Discovery owns HBO Max.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mappedWarner Bros. Discovery
Global media owner spanning streaming, studios, publishing, gaming and ad sales.
“Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns HBO MAX, did not respond to request for comment....”
Social platform monetised through community advertising and data licensing.
“A Reddit spokesperson told AdExchanger in an email....”
Search, video, adtech and cloud giant within Alphabet.
“Google Ads and Merchant Center account operators have been plagued for years by sophisticated fraudsters....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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