SpaceX Rocket Launch scam is a series of recurring malignant campaigns that throw people into crypto and other types of scams. Con actors leverage the massive popularity of SpaceX as a company and Elon Musk in particular as its leader. This, combined with AI-generated videos and clickbait titles makes people eager to follow the fraudulent offer, ignoring the red flags. In this post, I will go into more detail about this scam, how it works and how not to fall victim to it.
SpaceX Rocket Launch Scam Overview
SpaceX Rocker Launch scam are recurring campaigns that use the genuine event to gather as many people as possible around the fraudulent activity. As it comes from the name, the key disguise of them all is the launch of a new rocket by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
It often involves a fake or hacked YouTube channel or a social media account that publishes a deepfake video of Elon Musk and some related persons, exploiting the attention surrounding the upcoming or latet SpaceX rocket launch. The video typically announced a crypto get-rich-quick scheme, instructing viewers to scan a QR code or follow the link. This directs them to the fake website, where people see the prompt to send money to get more back, or link the crypto wallet and wait for the money to come.
Despite the fact that the official and fake channels were side by side in the YouTube search results, the public chose to bring the fraudulent one to the top. The fake channel was characterized by an odd music symbol in its name, and reached between 200,000 and 300,000 live views, amplifying its potential impact. This is a common tactic for scammers to impersonate known brands.
The official SpaceX channel, in contrast, is marked by an authenticating “tick,” a detail users can use to verify legitimacy. The scam’s high viewership suggests significant potential for victim impact. However, what can we expect from an audience that likes and comments on AI-generated images?
How do SpaceX Rocket Launch Scams Work?
The scam used deepfake technology, which involves AI to create realistic videos. Deepfake technology, central to this scam, involves using AI to generate realistic videos by altering or fabricating someone’s likeness. In this case, scammers used software to create a video where Elon Musk appeared to promote the crypto scam, employing lip-synching technology and voice cloning to enhance realism.
The process typically starts with existing footage of the target. AI tools then manipulate it to match the desired narrative, making it difficult for casual viewers to detect the forgery. Today this technology has become more accessible, lowering the barrier for scammers to execute sophisticated frauds.
Dangers & Impact of SpaceX Rocket Launch Scams
When I said at the beginning, almost no crypto scam goes off these days without mentioned Musk, I mean next: research really suggests that Musk is a prime image maker for deep fake scams. These scams thrive on hype, whether it’s a political debate, a high-profile endorsement, or even a natural phenomenon like a solar eclipse.
AI detection software Sensity found him in nearly 25% of all deepfake videos since late 2023, and nearly 90% of crypto-focused ones CNBC TV18. According to forecasts, AI-driven fraud losses in the US could reach $40 billion by 2027, up from $12.3 billion in 2023.
If you think that such scams are limited only to capturing YouTube channels, unfortunately, you are wrong. At least, such schemes thrive on TikTok, where probably any scam is actively welcomed by the audience that wants to get rich quick. Over on TikTok, deepfake videos of Musk showing him endorsing bogus crypto giveaways. These AI-crafted clips are designed to look like legitimate interviews, luring viewers into the scam. We have a separate post about this that I recommend you reading.
Beside the video form, attackers don’t miss the opportunity to use any celebrity-related things in SpaceX rocket launch-themed scams. For example, during the Twitter hack, several high-profile accounts were compromised to promote a Bitcoin scam. The tweets promised to double any Bitcoin sent to a specific address-a classic too-good-to-be-true scenario.
Another type of SpaceX rocket launch scams are fake cryptocurrency-related websites. Cybercriminals have created phishing websites masquerading as legitimate cryptocurrency platforms. Some scams involve fabricated investment platforms, like “TeslaCoin,” falsely claiming affiliation with Musk. These sites often display fake transaction tables to appear credible, tricking victims into investing. Victims are enticed to invest, only to find their funds vanish into thin air. Even after registering and linking the wallet to the fake site, the funds are not stolen immediately, they will be stolen during trying to withdraw it.
How To Stay Safe?
In order not to become a victim of such scams, it is enough to be guided by common sense and pay attention to details. While it is indeed very difficult to distinguish deepfake from the original today, performing a basic checklist before investing can shed light on scam.
For example, a basic verification checkbox says a lot, same as its absence. If still this is not a convincing enough argument, you can check the information about the channel, compare it with the one on the official SpaceX website. The devil is in the details.
If you are not sure about the website you have opened, consider scanning it with GridinSoft Website Reputation Checker. This free utility will quickly return you a clear result, whether you can trust it or not. Just paste the link in its search bar, and get the comprehensive conclusion about this website, based on a selection of its elements and behaviors.
Also, it’s important to realize, nothing in life is free. If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. If you see a celebrity claiming to give away their funds to anyone who wants them, that should be a red flag that it’s a scam. The best solution in such a case is to report the infringement and shut down the video/stream.
