An AI-generated Elon Musk Just Stole Bitcoin from Viewers via YouTube Live
Jun 24, 2024
An AI-generated video of Elon Musk has tricked people into losing their Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. This incident happened on a YouTube Live stream today and has caught many by surprise.
What Happened?
Just like rapper 50 Cent's recent hacking incident, where hackers used his social accounts to promote a fake cryptocurrency, a similar scheme has targeted Elon Musk. In the YouTube Live video, an AI version of Musk's voice suggested that users should visit a particular website. The video promised that if viewers deposited their cryptocurrency—such as Ethereum, Dogecoin, or Bitcoin—onto the site, they would “automatically send back double the amount of the cryptocurrency you deposited.”
The Stream's Impact
The live stream ran for 5 hours and at its peak had over 30,000 concurrent viewers. This high viewership pushed it to the top of YouTube’s Live Now recommendations. Unfortunately, many viewers fell for the scam before the video and the associated account were eventually removed by YouTube.
Why Musk?
It's not surprising that hackers chose Elon Musk for this scam. Musk's tweets have had a significant impact on the crypto market, especially with memecoins like Dogecoin. His dedicated following makes him a prime target for such fraudulent activities.
Conclusion
This event serves as a reminder to always be cautious, particularly with online promises that seem too good to be true. Both the official video and the fake account have been removed from YouTube, but the incident highlights the evolving sophistication of online scams.
Stay updated and stay safe to avoid becoming a victim of such schemes.
