A South Korean woman became the victim of a deepfake scam when she managed to "meet" a person posing as Elon Musk on Instagram. The attacker managed to convince her that he was the real Elon Musk, and ultimately defrauded her of $50,000.
Deepfake Mask
Scammer's Introduction
Last July, a woman from South Korea received a request for adding as a friend on Instagram from supposedly Elon Musk himself. Despite initial doubts, she agreed, being his devoted fan. Soon after this, the scammer began telling her about Musk’s activities at Tesla and SpaceX, backing up his words with photos of his workplace and documents.
Details of the fictitious legend
The attacker told the South Korean woman about Musk's imaginary business meetings, including with the president of the country, where the construction of Tesla factories was allegedly discussed. He also mentioned personal details such as using a helicopter to commute to work and talking about his children.
Video calling and financial fraud
In addition to regular messaging, the scammer was even able to conduct a video call using a deepfake, during which he said the phrase “I love you.” As a result, he convinced the woman to transfer $50,000 to a bank account allegedly belonging to one of Musk’s employees in Korea, under the pretext of a profitable investment.
Glossary
- Elon Musk is a famous entrepreneur, founder of Tesla and SpaceX.
- Deepfake is a technology for synthesizing images and videos based on artificial intelligence, which allows you to replace one face with another.
- Instagram is a popular social network for sharing photos and videos.
- Tesla is an American company that produces electric vehicles and energy storage solutions.
- SpaceX is a private American space technology company.
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Answers to questions
How, according to a South Korean woman, did she meet the fake Musk?
What actions did the scammer take when posing as Elon Musk?
How much money did the fake Musk demand from the South Korean woman?
How common is the so-called “love scam”?
What reaction did the Chinese doppelgänger of the billionaire receive from the real Elon Musk?
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Discussion of the topic – A Korean woman fell in love with the fake Elon Musk: he deceived her out of $50 thousand.
A South Korean woman told how she was deceived by a scammer posing as Elon Musk on Instagram. He told her about gigafactories and extorted $50 thousand from her, supposedly for investment.
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Анджела
Eh, this is such a deceptive story! 😕 I can’t believe that the woman believed that Elon Musk himself added her as a friend on Instagram. Why didn't she doubt it when he started asking for money?
Стефан
Yes, love scams are rampant, especially when people are too gullible. But $50,000 is just crazy! 😱 We need to be more vigilant on social networks.
Марио
Hey guys, don't be so strict! 😄 Perhaps this woman is just very romantic and believes in fairy tales. Or maybe she is very lonely and longs for love? Either way, it's a sad story, but a lesson for all of us - don't blindly trust strangers on the internet.
Григорий
Ugh, what nonsense! 🙄 Why do people fall for such cheap tricks? All this social media, celebrities and technology is a waste of time. In my time, we lived for real, and did not chase illusions on the Internet!
Сесилия
Hey Gregory, don't be such a grump! 😜 Technology is progress, it helps people communicate, learn and develop. But you're right, you need to be careful with strangers online. It’s a pity that this woman lost so much because of her gullibility.
Ян
I heard that even Elon Musk himself commented on this incident and joked that he would like to meet his doppelganger. 😂 But still, deepfake technologies are becoming too advanced, soon it will be impossible to distinguish truth from fiction!
Сесилия
Yes, Ian, you're right. Deepfakes are a truly alarming trend. 😕 But I hope the developers will find ways to deal with them. And we all need to be more digitally literate and critical of any information on the Internet.
Франческа
Hey guys, have you heard that Elon Musk is planning to open Tesla factories in South Korea? 🤩 This would be amazing for developing the economy and creating new jobs! It's a pity that the scammer used this news for his own purposes.