A woman from South Korea fell into a tricky scam where someone used fake videos to pretend they were Elon Musk, losing $50,000 in the process. This shows how dangerous deepfake technology can be.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is pictured during a visit at the company's electric car plant in Gruenheide near Berlin, eastern Germany, on March 13, 2024, as employees resumed work after production had to be halted due to a suspected arson attack that caused a power outage. (Photo: ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)
Deepfake Deception: South Korean's Scam Ordeal
Determined to prevent others from falling victim to similar scams, she went on a South Korean TV show to share her story and warn others about these scams. The scam started on the popular social media platform Instagram, where she got a friend request from an account claiming to be Musk.
Being an ardent admirer of Elon Musk, the victim received a friend request from an account purporting to belong to the renowned entrepreneur, utilizing sophisticated deepfake techniques to impersonate Musk convincingly.
Interesting Engineering reported that she delved into the surreal experience, likening it to a dream she had experienced the previous year. Initially, a seed of doubt took root as she grappled with the notion of the tech magnate reaching out to her through Instagram.
Reflecting on the significant juncture, she remembered the day vividly. It was July 17 when the profile claiming to be Musk popped up in her Instagram notifications, sending a friend request her way. Despite her deep admiration for Musk, cultivated over time through reading his autobiography, doubt began to cloud her mind.
However, the scam artist's persistence knew no bounds as they diligently worked to bolster their charade. They strategically shared purported snapshots of Musk immersed in his professional endeavors and even provided glimpses of what purported to be his official identification, all in a bid to perpetuate the illusion.
Impersonating Elon Musk
To enhance the illusion, the scammer delved into intimate details of Musk's life, weaving a convincing narrative. They engaged in discussions about Musk's family, including his children, and shared insights into his daily routines at companies.
The woman recalled how "Musk" described taking a helicopter to work at Tesla or SpaceX, further cementing the deception. Adding to the facade, the impersonator regaled the woman with tales of a supposed meeting between Musk and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in April 2023.
The meeting purportedly centered around plans to construct Tesla's Gigafactories in Seoul and Jeju, deepening the sense of authenticity. The trust between the victim and the scammer reached new heights during a video call orchestrated with the use of deepfake technology.
The fraudster proceeded to present Ms. Jeong with a false investment opportunity, suggesting it was a way to benefit his dedicated supporters. Recalling the sequence of events, Ms. Jeong explained that the scammer mentioned reaching out to fans randomly.
The scammer expressed happiness at the prospect of his fans benefiting financially. Subsequently, he provided Ms. Jeong with a Korean bank account number, convincing her to transfer $50,000.
Romance scams like this one are unfortunately quite common, with individuals in the US collectively losing a staggering $1.3 billion to such schemes in 2022. Furthermore, this incident isn't the sole instance of individuals impersonating Elon Musk.
For instance, Yilong Ma, a Chinese individual bearing a striking resemblance to Musk, gained significant attention on TikTok. Even Elon Musk himself took notice of Ma, expressing uncertainty about whether the Chinese man was genuine.
