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AII-1002-55531
Well documentedThree or more independent publishers report the core facts.

Deepfake video of Elon Musk promotes fake $20 million crypto giveaway

A deepfake video went viral on December 15, 2024, falsely showing Elon Musk promoting a $20 million cryptocurrency giveaway and directing viewers to a website. X user DogeDesigner identified it as a deepfake and warned the public that Musk and his companies were not conducting any such giveaway.

15 December 2024 Β· Elon Musk Β· Misinformation and synthetic media
15 December 2024

Drafted by Raidu Incident Detection, an automated system.

AII-1002-555316 sources ↓
Quick facts
Category
Misinformation and synthetic media
Country
United States
Source
LatestLY
Date
15 December 2024
Drafted by
Raidu Incident Detection

What happened

On December 15, 2024, a deepfake video of Elon Musk promoting a USD 20 million cryptocurrency giveaway went viral on X. The video showed Musk announcing a week-long crypto giveaway starting December 13, 2024, and directing viewers to a website named Elon4u.com.

Reported impact

The video sparked confusion on social media and caused some people to fall for the scam.

Index analysis

X user DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) clarified that the video was a deepfake and warned that 'Elon Musk and his companies are not doing any crypto giveaways' and urged people not to fall for such scams.

Classification

Category
Misinformation and synthetic media
Industry
Media, social platforms and marketing
Country
United States
Harm status
Potential harm
Intent
Intentional
Timing
Unknown
Harm types
Economic or property, Reputational
Harmed
General public, Business
Failure modes
Deepfake video, Manipulation or dark pattern
Consequences
None recorded

Sources and evidence

This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.

LatestLY
Elon Musk Promoting Crypto Giveaways? X User Warns About Deepfake Video Scam, Urges To Stay Safe (Watch Video)
15 December 2024
Inshorts - Stay Informed
Video of Elon Musk promoting $20 million crypto giveaway is fake
16 December 2024
Hindustan Times
Has Musk announced a $20 million cryptocurrency giveaway? Deepfake video goes viral
16 December 2024
IndiaTimes
Elon Musk's crypto scam: Tesla CEO's viral video promoting $20 million giveaway sparks confusion; know the truth
16 December 2024
Techlusive
Elon Musk Crypto Giveaway DeepFake Video Goes Viral: Here's What We Know So Far
16 December 2024
TimesNow
Elon Musk's $20 Million Crypto Giveaway Video Is A Deepfake: Here's What You Need To Know
16 December 2024
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