An AI-generated voice of Elon Musk instructed viewers to deposit cryptocurrency to a shady website during a livestream today. This scam is the latest in a series of similar fraudulent broadcasts.
The Scam Unfolds
A YouTube Live broadcast, running for five hours, used a deepfake of Elon Musk to promote a cryptocurrency scam. The video appeared to be a livestream from a Tesla event, with an AI-generated Musk voice telling viewers to visit a website and deposit their bitcoin, Ethereum, or Dogecoin. The fake message, playing on a loop, promised to double the cryptocurrency deposited.
Viewer Impact
At its peak, over 30,000 viewers tuned into the stream. This high number might have been inflated by bots, pushing it to the top of YouTube’s Live Now recommendations. The account, @elon.teslastream, had an Official Artist Channel verification badge, suggesting a potential hack. Both the video and the channel were removed after Engadget contacted Google.
Rise of Deepfake Scams
Elon Musk deepfake scams have surged recently, with scammers using accounts posing as Musk’s companies. The latest scam was titled “Tesla’s unveils a masterpiece: The Tesla that will change the car industry forever.” In June, similar scams involved 35 accounts pretending to be SpaceX around the Starship launch. In April, scammers used the eclipse hype for their schemes, and fake Musk livestreams have been reported on Reddit.
Ongoing Crypto Scams
Crypto scams targeting Musk’s followers have been a persistent issue for years. Celebrities, in general, are frequent targets. Recently, 50 Cent’s accounts were hacked for a pump-and-dump scheme, highlighting the widespread nature of these scams.
Conclusion
The use of AI-generated voices and deepfakes in cryptocurrency scams is increasing, posing significant risks to investors. Awareness and vigilance are crucial in combating these fraudulent activities.