A deepfake livestream featuring a counterfeit version of billionaire Elon Musk has scammed thousands of viewers out of their money. The livestream, broadcasted by a verified YouTube channel named Tesla US, ran for over nine hours and drew in 26,000 viewers. The fake video showed a digitally altered Musk discussing a bogus cryptocurrency investment, falsely endorsing former US President Donald Trump in the upcoming elections.
The livestream directed viewers to a fraudulent website, teslaearn.io, using a QR code and fake Tesla branding to appear legitimate. Victims were encouraged to participate in an “investment scheme” promising shares of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Tether (USDT).
This latest scam highlights the growing use of deepfake technology to deceive and defraud people. AI detection software Sensity has revealed that Musk is the most commonly targeted figure in deepfake scams, with over 90% of crypto-related deepfakes featuring his likeness.
The Tesla US channel involved in this scam appears to have been hijacked, likely originating from a YouTube gaming channel based in Taiwan with over 211,000 subscribers.
This incident is reminiscent of a similar hack in March 2023, where tech YouTuber Linus Sebastian’s channel, Linus Tech Tips, was used to promote a fake crypto scheme featuring another deepfake of Musk.
As AI-driven fraud continues to rise, experts warn that losses could reach $40 billion in the US by 2027. The best defense against such scams remains public awareness and education on how to spot deepfakes and fraudulent schemes.
Read More : Qerra News
Credit: Cnbctv18
