New York Times columnist Paul Krugman claimed on Twitter Wednesday that a hacker is attempting to use his IP address to “download child pornography.”

“Well, I’m on the phone with my computer security service, and as I understand it someone compromised my IP address and is using it to download child pornography,” wrote the Nobel Prize winning economist.

An Internet Protocol (IP) number is a virtual address connected to any given computer hardware that assists with connecting said devices to a broader network like the internet; it also allows devices to be addressed to a specific location of the user.

“I might just be a random target. But this could be an attempt to Qanon me,” he added, referencing the far-right online conspiracy QAnon which brazenly alleges that President Donald Trump is secretly working to unmask and take down a global network of elite pedophiles, who are in-turn working with the so-called “deep state” to take down his administration. “It’s an ugly world out there.”

Well, I’m on the phone with my computer security service, and as I understand it someone compromised my IP address and is using it to download child pornography. I might just be a random target. But this could be an attempt to Qanon me. It’s an ugly world out there. — Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) January 8, 2020

UPDATE: Krugman followed up on his original tweet to vaguely explain that “The Times is now on the case.” He provided no further details.

The Times is now on the case. — Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) January 8, 2020

SECOND UPDATE: Krugman has now deleted his original tweet and said he may have been temporarily fooled by a common Internet scam.

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