Apple CEO Tim Cook’s Deepfake Crypto Scam Hit People During iPhone 16 Launch

The Tech-giant Apple launched its new iPhone series on September 9, but this time, the lunch is much more special. After observing the hype around Artificial Intelligence (AI), the company has also infused AI tech with the iPhone 16 Launch. With better Camera quality, a bigger screen, new colors, and an outside Camera button add-on, the iPhone16 has become the talk of the town. However, the main limelight was the scammers running major crypto scams using Apple CEO Tim Cook’s deepfake AI video to scam people after luring them into a double-your-money scheme.

Deep fake Ai video of TimCook streaming on it asking for bitcoin, Ethereum and USDT.
Watch out of scammers, there is not such thing as free giveaway!!! pic.twitter.com/KBQi1rMYKt

— Tokenpaddock (@tokenpaddock) September 10, 2024

Scammers Hit The iPhone 16 Launch With Deepfake Tim Cook

The Apple team has organized a livestream for the Glowtime event on September 9 to introduce the users to new iPhone 16 models and their features. However, the crypto scammers made the best use of this situation by launching several live streams targeting the audience with an AI-generated video of Apple CEO Tim Cook.

The scammer used some of the old clips of Tim Cook’s interviews and edited them with the Deepfake AI. With this, the scammer asked the users to be part of the crypto industry. More importantly, they lured the users into double-your-money crypto scams. In such scams, the users are promised to send double the amount they have shared with a scammer. However, once the transaction is completed, the user is left stranded.

Once you complete your deposit, the system will automatically process it and send back double the amount of the cryptocurrency you deposited, said deepfake Tim Cook.

More than 355K people viewed one single livestream, where the scammers created a lookalike of the Apple YouTube channel, making it look legitimate. However, this was not all, as many such live streams hit YouTube on the same day. More importantly, many of these were from channels that were not even related to tech.

The scammer has even put a QR code in the videos for people to scan and share cryptocurrencies. These scammers asked for cryptos like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and dogecoin on designated crypto wallets. Moreover, they have presented fake transaction screens, scamming people into thinking that other senders have already received double their deposits.

Though the live streams are no longer available on the platform, many users have taken the X platform, revealing this pathetic incident. Some informed the world about Apple’s hack, whereas many became the victims.

Not The Fist Deepfake To Livestream Crypto Scam

Artificial intelligence was created as a helping technology, but it has also increased the frauds and scams in the market. Earlier, the World Economic Forum released the Global Risks Report, revealing the concerning surge in AI-infused scams in the market.

One prime example is Apple CEO Tim Cook’s Deepfake scam, viewed by $500K users before YouTube could shut it off. But there are hundreds more like this, with many new frauds entering the market every day. The most popular ones are Pig-Butchering scams, rug pull, double your money, wallet address hacks, and much more. Interestingly, social media platforms like YouTube have become the main target. One Pig butchering scam has led to the former Kansas bank CEO in prison for 24 years. Other than this, celebrities like DOJA CAT X’s account got hacked and many others were also the victim of the same to promote some rug pull scam.

Moreover, the frequency of deepfake scams has increased, including industry leaders. The Tesla owner Elon Musk’s videos have been circulating for years for the same. Even the Canadian PM Justin’s video was deepfaked, where a man lost $12K. Another South Korean woman lost 40,000 Euro, and many other cases have made it a concerning topic.

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Pooja Khardia

With a deep-seated passion for reading and five years of experience in content writing, Pooja is now focused on crafting trending content about cryptocurrency market.

As a dedicated crypto journalist, Pooja is constantly seeking out trending topics and informative statistics to create compelling pieces for crypto enthusiasts. Staying abreast of the latest trends and advancements in the field is an integral part of her daily routine, fueling a commitment to delivering timely and insightful coverage

Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.