Scammers stole Apple’s thunder on September 9, 2024, regarding the iPhone 16 launch, by attempting to trick would-be buyers with deepfake videos of its CEO, Tim Cook.
Indeed, this shows the spiraling threat of AI-driven fraud as cybercriminals start to make use of high-profile events to dupe unsuspecting victims into cryptocurrency scams.
The Deepfake Trap
During the “Glowtime” event, where Apple was showcasing its new features for iPhones, a number of live streams with deepfakes of Tim Cook were being shown on various platforms, including YouTube.
These seemingly legitimate streams urged listeners to send a cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Tether, to a specific address in exchange for double the amount they had put in.
The scammers manipulated old footage of Cook, editing it with AI to create a convincing performance that misled hundreds of thousands of viewers.
AI is getting WAY too good
355k people watching a fake “apple” account on @youtube that’s promoting a massive crypto scam lol
The reason there are so many viewers is because the keynote today at 12pm cst@YouTubeCreators pic.twitter.com/O2ufpxdKnF
— BearPig 🧸🐷 (@BearPigCentral) September 9, 2024
One of those deceptively created streams accumulated more than 355,000 views, with the scammers going so far as to create a channel that mimicked the branding of Apple.
Adding a QR code in the videos so that people could know where to scan and send their cash, further enhanced the illusion of legitimacy.
🚨Breaking 🚨
Apple US YouTube channel hacked? There is a fake Ai video of TimCook streaming on it asking for bitcoin. 😱#AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/b2DOyhxBLL
— Abhishek Bhatnagar (@abhishek) September 9, 2024
Posing as Cook, the fraudsters then assured viewers that their investments would pay dividends to the investor immediately, purporting, “Once you complete your deposit, the system will automatically process it and send back double the amount of the cryptocurrency you deposited.”
But once the victims sent their money, they found themselves with empty wallets and no recourse.
BTCUSD trading at $56,851 on the daily chart: TradingView.com
The Aftermath
Reacting fast to the problem, YouTube removed the bogus streams and deleted the connected accounts. But much damage had already been done by the time the scandal was satisfactorially resolved.
People crowded into many social media sites, including X, to share their experiences and warn others about the hoax. Some even voiced indignation at how readily the con artists had misled a reputable person such as Tim Cook, underscoring the need of more digital age vigilance.
A Call For Awareness
This is not an isolated incident. Scammers now find it simpler thanks to deepfake technology to realistically imitate popular personalities. Similar frauds employing deepfake footage of Elon Musk floated about during the launch of SpaceX’s Starship rocket a few months ago.
People have to be careful since crypto frauds are becoming very rampant these days. The attraction of fast money might skew judgement and increase vulnerability to fraud. Any offers should be checked for genuineness, especially those that seem too good to be true.
Featured image from The Star, chart from TradingView