Scammers are utilizing deepfake movies of Elon Musk in an try to trick individuals into handing over cryptocurrency, BleepingComputer experiences. The scammers arrange a phony cryptocurrency platform known as “BitVex” that purports to be owned by Musk. The crooks then used hacked YouTube accounts to unfold deepfaked movies of Musk and different individuals related to cryptocurrency to advertise the platform.
“To make use of the BitVex platform, customers should register an account at bitvex[.]org or bitvex[.]web to entry the funding platform,” BleepingComputer says. “When you log in, the location will show a dashboard the place you’ll be able to deposit numerous cryptocurrencies, choose an funding plan, or withdraw your earnings. Like virtually all cryptocurrency scams, the dashboard will show current withdrawals of assorted cryptocurrencies to make the location seem respectable.”
Visually talking, the deepfake is fairly convincing. Nonetheless, the voice and script are uncommon sufficient that observant customers may acknowledge that one thing is mistaken. Moreover, BleepingComputer factors out that there are different indicators that it is a rip-off.
“Whereas it’s apparent that the interviews have been altered to simulate Elon Musk’s voice to advertise the BitVex buying and selling platform, quite a few different clues present that it is a rip-off,” BleepingComputer says. “Many YouTube channels selling this buying and selling platform have been hacked to instantly present YouTube movies or YouTube Shorts that promote the BitVex buying and selling web site. For instance, a YouTube channel that displayed gaming movies in Arabic instantly started displaying a sequence of YouTube Shorts that promoted the BitVex rip-off. As well as, BleepingComputer has discovered dozens of different YouTube channels hijacked equally to advertise this rip-off.”
As all the time, nonetheless, some individuals will fall for the rip-off, and the scammers have raked in not less than $1,700 from this marketing campaign to date. New-school safety consciousness coaching can allow your staff to keep away from falling for scams and different types of social engineering.
