Scammers stole the spotlight from Apple on September 9, 2024, regarding the launch of the iPhone 16, by trying to trick potential buyers with crypto-scam-youtube-deep-fake-video-6534158″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener nofollow”>Deepfake videos of its CEO, Tim Cook.
In fact, this shows the growing threat of ai-powered fraud as cybercriminals begin to take advantage of high-profile events to trick unsuspecting victims into cryptocurrency scams.
The trap of deepfakes
During Apple’s Glowtime event, where it showcased new iPhone features, several livestreams featuring deepfakes of Tim Cook were shown on various platforms, including YouTube.
These seemingly legitimate currents crypto/news/iphone-16-launch-hijacked-by-crypto-scammers-using-ai-generated-tim-cook” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener nofollow”>He urged listeners to send cryptocurrencysuch as bitcoin, ethereum or Tether, to a specific address in exchange for double the amount they had deposited.
The scammers manipulated old footage of Cook and edited it with artificial intelligence to create a convincing performance that fooled hundreds of thousands of viewers.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet”>
ai is getting too good
355,000 people viewing a fake “apple” account twitter.com/YouTube?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>@YouTube That's promoting a massive cryptocurrency scam, lol
The reason there are so many viewers is because the main conference is today at 12pm CST.twitter.com/YouTubeCreators?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>@CreadoresDeYouTube image.twitter.com/O2ufpxdKnF
— BearPig (@BearPigCentral) twitter.com/BearPigCentral/status/1833162420673536176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>September 9, 2024
One such fraudulently created stream racked up more than 355,000 views, and the scammers even went so far as to create a channel that mimicked Apple's branding.
Adding a QR code to the videos so people could know where to scan and send their money further enhanced the illusion of legitimacy.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet”>
Breaking news
Was Apple's US YouTube channel hacked? There's a fake TimCook ai video streaming on it asking for bitcoins. twitter.com/hashtag/AppleEvent?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>#AppleEvent image.twitter.com/b2DOyhxBLL
—Abhishek Bhatnagar (@abhishek) twitter.com/abhishek/status/1833186932823888008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>September 9, 2024
Posing as Cook, the scammers assured viewers that their investments would pay dividends to the investor immediately, stating: “Once you complete your deposit, the system will automatically process it and send you double the amount of cryptocurrency you deposited.”
But once the victims sent their money, nfts-and-web3/crypto-scammers-use-deepfake-tim-cook-iphone-16-launch-scam-on-youtube” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener nofollow”>They found themselves with empty wallets and no resources.
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BTCUSD trading at $56,851 on the daily chart: TradingView.com
The aftermath
YouTube was quick to respond to the issue and removed the fake streams and linked accounts, but by the time the scandal was satisfactorily resolved, much damage had already been done.
People flocked to many social media sites, including x, to share their experiences and warn others about the scam. Some even expressed outrage at the ease with which a respectable person like Tim Cook had been fooled by the scammers, underlining the need for greater vigilance in the digital age.
A call for awareness
This is not an isolated incident. Scammers now find it easier thanks to deepfake technology to realistically imitate popular personalities. A few months ago, during the launch of SpaceX's Starship rocket, similar hoaxes circulated using fake images of Elon Musk.
People should be careful as cryptocurrency scams are becoming very common these days. The lure of quick money can distort judgment and increase vulnerability to fraud. All offers should be verified for authenticity, especially those that seem too good to be true.
Featured image from The Star, chart from TradingView
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