A fake YouTube channel posing as Tesla used a deepfake of Elon Musk to lure viewers to a phishing site. The video, which garnered over 60,000 views, promised to double viewers' cryptocurrency.
The Fraudulent Video
A YouTube channel with 31.5k subscribers claimed to be the official Tesla channel. The video used a deepfake of Elon Musk, promising to double viewers' cryptocurrency. It featured topics such as energy concerns around crypto and support for Donald Trump. During the video, 'Musk' stated: 'What you’re about to witness is an absolutely unique event ... it will completely change your belief in cryptocurrency, and it might even change your life.'
The Dangers of Deepfakes
The video gathered over 60,000 live viewers, although this number might have been inflated by bots. On superficial viewing, it seemed convincing, but closer inspection revealed that 'Musk's' mouth movements did not match what he was saying, and the promise to double cryptocurrency was an obvious scam. In a world polarized by media and economic struggles, such schemes can easily take hold.
Precautionary Measures
Cryptopolitan investigated and found that the phishing site muskdebate.io linked in the video has been taken down. The real verified Tesla account on YouTube has over 2.6 million subscribers. According to the Oxford dictionary, a 'deepfake' is a video of a person whose face or body has been digitally altered to appear as someone else. Crypto users must be cautious as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent. Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Deepfakes pose a serious threat in the digital age. A skeptical approach and critical thinking can help users protect themselves from scams.
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