Deceptive livestreams featuring a deepfake portrayal of Elon Musk, purportedly promoting cryptocurrency schemes, have emerged once again. During Monday’s total solar eclipse event, which captivated millions across the United States, a fraudulent SpaceX YouTube channel allegedly broadcasted a fake livestream.
The stream showcased an AI-generated rendition of business magnate and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, advocating for a crypto investment opportunity through manipulated speech. The fraudulent content urged viewers to scan a QR code displayed on the screen and deposit cryptocurrencies, promising to double their investments.
Initially flagged by the research group and iOS developer Mysk, the channel, with 310K subscribers, underwent a rebranding to mimic the appearance of SpaceX. Despite the fraudulent nature of the livestream, it remains accessible and prominently ranks among search results for “solar eclipse livestream.”
Titled “Live: Solar Eclipse Spectacular 2024 of SpaceX,” the stream featured a pre-recorded video portraying Musk addressing an audience, with an AI-generated voice promoting the cryptocurrency scam. The video included a QR code prompting viewers to visit a scammer’s website impersonating SpaceX, enticing them to invest.
Further investigation revealed live chats from the fake Elon Musk account, promoting a significant giveaway to commemorate the total solar eclipse. The chat also included a link to a scam website hosted in Russia, falsely claiming that substantial amounts of Bitcoin and Ethereum had already been distributed to viewers.
This incident isn’t the first time fraudulent videos involving SpaceX and Elon Musk have surfaced on YouTube. In a similar occurrence in October, manipulated audio tracks were used to encourage viewers to invest in the BitVex trading platform during a fake interview with Musk.
Responding to the crypto scam, Musk distanced himself from the fraudulent promotions, emphasizing through a tweet that he is not associated with such deceptive activities.
Impersonation of media outlets and dissemination of false information, particularly during periods of cryptocurrency fervor, have become increasingly prevalent. Platforms like Twitter serve as fertile ground for the proliferation of deepfake crypto scams.