Elon Musk Deepfake Scam Floods YouTube During SpaceX Launch

As a seasoned crypto investor, I’ve seen my fair share of scams and fraudulent schemes in the digital currency world. But this latest one using deepfakes of Elon Musk and Charles Hoskinson impersonating SpaceX and Cardano Foundation is a new low.


As a researcher, I’ve come across instances where fraudulent livestreams coincided with significant events in SpaceX’s testing phase. For instance, during their fourth test launch of the massive reusable Starship rocket, there were reports of fake streams circulating online. Fortunately, the authentic livestream presented an exciting view as the rocket gracefully re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and made a planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

💥🚨 Caution: More than 35 YouTube accounts have been taken over by crypto scammers, disseminating deepfake videos featuring Elon Musk and fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. The con artists exploit the forthcoming SpaceX Starship test flight to offer double returns to unsuspecting victims. Remain alert!

— Avast Threat Labs (@AvastThreatLabs) June 6, 2024

A YouTube channel falsely represented itself as SpaceX’s official account, operating three concurrent scams attracting 170,000 viewers. These viewership numbers may have been artificially inflated by bots to give an authentic impression. The content of these streams consisted of broad shots of Elon Musk speaking at a real SpaceX event, with certain sections intentionally blurred to hinder identification of the deception.

As a cautious crypto investor, I want to warn you all about a potential scam I’ve come across. Hackers have attempted to create fake SpaceX YouTube channels with QR codes supposedly linked to Elon Musk. Be wary of these channels and do not scan the QR codes under any circumstances. This is just a reminder from me to protect ourselves against such deceitful tactics in the crypto world. #StaySafe #CryptoScamAlert

— ference (@ference) June 6, 2024

As a dedicated crypto investor, I want to assure you all with utmost confidence: what I’m about to reveal is the real deal, not a hoax or a fake-out. I personally stand behind this giveaway and guarantee its authenticity.

As a researcher investigating this topic, I’d describe it like this: I came across an offer that invited viewers to transfer cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), or Dogecoin (DOGE) to a provided address. In return, they were assured of receiving double the amount sent back to them.

Scammers employed enticing language such as “Your crypto has the potential to skyrocket as our cryptic ‘rocket’ soars through space,” accompanied by clapping noises. The exact number of individuals deceived remains uncertain; however, nine cryptocurrency wallets associated with the fraud were identified, holding approximately $34,000 in total balance, and numerous transactions occurred on June 6th.

As a crypto investor, I’ve noticed some shady activity on a particular YouTube channel. Initially, it appeared to be associated with Cardano, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a fraudulent stream. The channel has since been cleansed of this deceitful content, but beware – it has now rebranded to mimic the Cardano Foundation and is running a similar scam using a deepfake of Cardano co-founder Charles Hoskinson. Always double-check any investment opportunities or information you come across online to ensure their authenticity.

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2024-06-07 11:16