CZ warns of AI deepfakes targeting crypto investors
Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao, former CEO of Binance, warned the crypto community about AI-generated deepfake videos of him and other prominent figures being used in cryptocurrency scams. The scams use synthetic videos to impersonate these figures and lure victims into transferring cryptocurrency with false promises of rewards.
What happened
Changpeng 'CZ' Zhao, former CEO of Binance, posted a warning on X about AI-generated deepfake videos of himself circulating on social media. According to blockchain data forensic firm Elliptic, deepfake crypto scams typically invite individuals to transfer cryptocurrency to specific wallet addresses in exchange for promised rewards that never materialize.
Other prominent figures have recently been impersonated using deepfakes, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, Taylor Swift, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Reported impact
Deepfake crypto scams target unsuspecting individuals on the web by promising substantially increased earnings in exchange for cryptocurrency transfers.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.