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In a campaign observed by Bitdefender Labs beginning July 16, 2024, scammers hijacked dozens of YouTube channels to stream a deepfake Elon Musk and promote cryptocurrency giveaways promising to double viewers’ deposits. The videos used the attempted assassination of Donald Trump as a topical hook, while QR codes sent viewers to fraudulent sites impersonating Tesla or linking Musk and Trump. A promise to double cryptocurrency is the key warning sign—not evidence of a real giveaway.
How the scam worked
Bitdefender Labs reported that the campaign used compromised YouTube channels to give the streams an appearance of legitimacy. Some channels were renamed “Tesla” or “Donald Trump Jr.” and had their original videos removed. The streams used a looped deepfake video and altered channel descriptions to promote crypto giveaways.
One reported stream used the title “Elon Musk Reveals Insights on Trump Assassination Attempt and Election Support.” The assassination attempt supplied a timely news hook; it did not make the video or giveaway authentic. Bitdefender said QR codes embedded in the streams led to fraudulent websites imitating Tesla or invoking Musk and Trump together.
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Why a large channel audience does not prove the giveaway is genuine
Bitdefender described dozens of hijacked channels. One had 1.26 million subscribers; other compromised channels reportedly had more than 700,000 subscribers or around 100,000. These figures indicate the potential audience of compromised accounts, not the number of viewers, victims, or financial losses. A familiar channel name or large subscriber count cannot verify a livestream when an account may have been taken over.
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Warning signs in a crypto giveaway livestream
- A promise to double your cryptocurrency: Treat any offer that requires you to send coins in exchange for a larger return as a strong scam signal. Bitdefender advised viewers to “Scrutinize all messages and videos that promise you double return on your crypto investments”.
- A QR code directing you to claim a giveaway: The campaign used QR codes to route viewers to fraudulent sites. A code conceals its destination until scanned, so do not scan one to participate in an implausible crypto offer.
- A sudden channel rebrand: Bitdefender saw compromised channels renamed “Tesla” or “Donald Trump Jr.” A name change alone does not prove a takeover, but it is a reason to check the channel carefully.
- Missing older videos or closed comments: Bitdefender identified removed or missing videos and closed comments as warning signs associated with the streams.
- A famous face tied to breaking news: The reported streams used a deepfake Musk video. A recognizable person, topical headline, or polished looped video does not establish that the person or company is behind the offer.
What to do if you encounter one
- Do not send cryptocurrency. Do not transfer coins to “unlock” a giveaway or receive a promised return.
- Do not scan the video’s QR code or follow its claim link. The reported codes led to fraudulent impersonation sites.
- Check the channel for context. Look for abrupt name or branding changes, missing older uploads, a suspicious giveaway livestream, and closed comments. Any one clue can have other explanations, but several together call for caution.
- Report suspicious content to YouTube. Bitdefender also recommended using a trusted security solution to help block phishing attempts and fraudulent links. Its report mentioned its own Scamio service; that is a vendor recommendation, not an independently tested ranking of security tools.
Domains Bitdefender listed in its 2024 report
Bitdefender named five domains as indicators associated with this campaign: musktrump[.]org, tesla-elon[.]gives, elomusk[.]finance, muskrise[.]io, and taketesla[.]org. They are included here in defanged form to avoid making them clickable. These are historical indicators from Bitdefender’s report, published July 17, 2024 and updated September 11, 2024; their present status has not been established.
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Campaign details and warning signs above are attributed to Bitdefender Labs’ analysis, first published July 17, 2024 and updated September 11, 2024. Contemporaneous secondary coverage appeared in CSO Online on July 18, 2024. The account describes a campaign observed in July 2024; it does not establish that the channels, websites, or campaign remain active now.
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