Many got scammed after a video of Apple CEO Tim Cook went viral. The fake video of Cook caused a stir just before the tech giant’s highly anticipated presentation. The broadcast, which showed Cook supporting a Bitcoin giveaway, went viral quickly and tricked over a million people. This hoax promoted a phony crypto scheme to profit from the excitement.
AI-Generated Voice and Crypto Scam
The stream used advanced AI technologies to replicate Cook’s voice, making the hoax appear legitimate to unwary viewers. The bogus webcast stated that the crypto giveaway was part of a global movement to promote equity.
However, viewers were told to donate Dogecoin (DOGE), Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), or Tether (USDT). These were to be channeled to a “contribution address” in exchange for twofold profits. This type of scam was designed to capitalize on both the hype surrounding Apple’s presentation and the growing interest in cryptocurrency. Notably, it was able to dupe many people before it was revealed.
Scammers Targeting Popular Events
This scam gained a large audience by exploiting popular search phrases such as “Apple” and even the title of a recent hit song by British pop diva Charli XCX. The stream’s bogus description, which included popular keywords, catapulted it to the top of YouTube search results.
As a result, it drew a lot of attention, catering to individuals looking for information about Apple’s impending announcements. This intelligent use of keywords reveals how scammers use platforms to exploit high-profile events, attracting victims with little effort.
Bitcoin ATM Scams Surge 10x Since 2020: $110M Lost in 2023Growing Concern with AI-Enhanced Scams
AI technology has brought a new level of sophistication to many scams, making them more challenging to detect. Fraudulent crypto gifts at Apple events are not new (previous frauds deceived people in 2022). This latest scam demonstrates how artificial intelligence can be used to impersonate high-profile personalities such as Cook effectively. AI’s expanding skills enable more sophisticated frauds, in which the borders between legitimate and fraudulent material blur, increasing the harm to naive users.
