Don't Get Caught by a Deepfake Scam

While Neuralink tokens are real, the video of Musk hawking them isn’t: It’s a deepfake. Using AI, scammers manipulated images of Musk to create a convincing but phony sales pitch. Victims report having lost thousands of dollars to such scams, many connected to cryptocurrency. Other celebrities that have "appeared" in deepfake scams include actor Tom Hanks, country artist Blake Shelton, and investor Warren Buffett. Here are some signs the video you’re watching might be a deepfake.

The deal is being hawked by someone famous. Well-known investors and tech titans generally don’t endorse specific investments. If they do, the products are typically sold by credentialed financial professionals, not via testimonial videos.

The profits are too good to be true. Deepfake celeb scams often make outsized promises, like guaranteeing you’ll double your money in a matter of weeks.

It’s "exclusive." Scammers frame their pitches as insider info, often touting involvement by successful figures like Musk.

It’s on social media. If you come upon a get-rich-quick pitch on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, you’d be wise to ignore it.