elon-musk

What changed

Researchers have described a global AI-themed investment fraud ecosystem using deepfake videos, spoofed news sites, phishing pages, and phone outreach to impersonate celebrities, news outlets, and political leaders. Reports link the scheme to fake trading platforms including Quantum AI and related sites, and to cloaked adtech infrastructure used to route likely victims while hiding scam pages from scanners.

Timeline

1. 11 May 2026Quantum AI and Related AI-Themed Investment Scams Reportedly Used Deepfake Endorsements and Spoofed Media Sites to Solicit Investments
   Incident82%

   • Which? finds deepfake investment scams on YouTubehttps://www.which.co.uk/news/article/which-finds-deepfake-investment-scams-on-youtube-aFPBo9E3Bk2K
   • We exposed a global AI scamhttps://www.which.co.uk/news/article/which-exposed-a-global-ai-scam-quantum-ai-a6E3T4Y5WHVc
   • AI Incident Database - Incident 1236https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1236/

   Which? finds deepfake investment scams on YouTubeWe exposed a global AI scamAI Incident Database - Incident 1236
2. 15 Mar 2026Florida Couple Reportedly Loses $45,000 in Alleged AI-Generated Elon Musk Impersonation Scam
   Incident82%

   • Elon Musk giveaway scheme steals $45,000 from Florida couplehttps://www.clickorlando.com/news/investigators/2025/12/15/elon-musk-giveaway-scheme-steals-45000-from-florida-couple/
   • Elon Musk deepfake scam steals $45,000 from couple: 'You just never think it's going to be you'https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/elon-musk-deepfake-scam-steals-230000179.html
   • AI Incident Database - Incident 1306https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1306/

   Elon Musk giveaway scheme steals $45,000 from Florida coupleElon Musk deepfake scam steals $45,000 from couple: 'You just never think it's going to be you'AI Incident Database - Incident 1306
3. 10 Jan 2026Reported AI-Generated Deepfake Videos Impersonating Elon Musk and Dragon’s Den Allegedly Used in Cryptocurrency Investment Scam Targeting Canadian Victims
   Incident82%

   • Two Canadians lose $2.3 million in AI deepfake crypto investment scamhttps://bingx.com/en/news/post/two-canadians-lose-million-in-ai-deepfake-crypto-investment-scam
   • $1.7 Million Gone: Ontario Woman Loses Everything to Elon Musk Deepfake Crypto Scamhttps://www.thedailyscrumnews.com/1-7-million-gone-ontario-woman-loses-everything-to-elon-musk-deepfake-crypto-scam/
   • AI Incident Database - Incident 1325https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1325/

   Two Canadians lose $2.3 million in AI deepfake crypto investment scam$1.7 Million Gone: Ontario Woman Loses Everything to Elon Musk Deepfake Crypto ScamAI Incident Database - Incident 1325
4. 10 Jan 2026Purported Deepfake Impersonating Elon Musk Allegedly Defrauded Elderly U.S. Woman of $50,000 via Gift Card–to-Crypto Scam
   Incident78%

   • My 80-year-old mom is convinced she's dating Elon Musk — and scammers took $50K from her. How do I stop her before she …https://moneywise.com/managing-money/debt/my-80-year-old-mom-is-convinced-shes-dating-elon-musk-and-scammers-took-50k-from-her-what-now
   • AI Incident Database - Incident 1328https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1328/

   My 80-year-old mom is convinced she's dating Elon Musk — and scammers took $50K from her. How do I stop her before she …AI Incident Database - Incident 1328
5. 8 Jan 2026Purportedly AI-Generated Deepfake Ads on Facebook Reportedly Impersonate Trump, Musk, Ocasio-Cortez, Warren, Sanders, and Leavitt to Promote Fraudulent Rebates
   Incident82%

   • Spam and Scams Proliferate in Facebook’s Political Adshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/technology/facebooks-political-ads-deepfakes-scams.html
   • Meta Awash in Deepfake Scam Adshttps://www.techtransparencyproject.org/articles/meta-awash-in-deepfake-scam-ads
   • AI Incident Database - Incident 1223https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1223/

   Spam and Scams Proliferate in Facebook’s Political AdsMeta Awash in Deepfake Scam AdsAI Incident Database - Incident 1223
6. 28 Dec 2025Purported Deepfake Impersonation of Elon Musk Used to Promote Fraudulent '17-Hour' Diabetes Treatment Claims
   Incident78%

   • Boosie Badazz Fooled by AI-Deepfake: Elon Musk's Nonexistent 17-Hour Diabetes Curehttps://opentools.ai/news/boosie-badazz-fooled-by-ai-deepfake-elon-musks-nonexistent-17-hour-diabetes-cure
   • AI Incident Database - Incident 1317https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1317/

   Boosie Badazz Fooled by AI-Deepfake: Elon Musk's Nonexistent 17-Hour Diabetes CureAI Incident Database - Incident 1317
7. 23 Nov 2025Ottawa Couple Reportedly Loses CA$177,023 After Purported Deepfake Elon Musk Investment Scam
   Incident82%

   • 'All our dreams are gone': Ottawa couple scammed out of $177khttps://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/all-our-dreams-are-gone-ottawa-couple-scammed-out-of-177k/
   • Ottawa couple loses $177,000 in deepfake investment scamhttps://youtu.be/V-Mk79wSIJA?si=o5TVXjAiOTSoDW_v
   • AI Incident Database - Incident 1276https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1276/

   'All our dreams are gone': Ottawa couple scammed out of $177kOttawa couple loses $177,000 in deepfake investment scamAI Incident Database - Incident 1276
8. 3 Aug 2025Reported AI‑Generated Deepfake Impersonations of Public Figures Allegedly Used in Coordinated Stock Pump‑and‑Dump Scheme Targeting Israeli Investors
   Incident78%

   • AI-powered scam Hits Israeli investors, deepfakes and fake stocks fuel major losseshttps://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/hkzaj8krll
   • AI Incident Database - Incident 1154https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1154/

   AI-powered scam Hits Israeli investors, deepfakes and fake stocks fuel major lossesAI Incident Database - Incident 1154
9. 8 July 2025Reportedly Sustained Multi-Celebrity Deepfake Persona Scam Targeting Vulnerable Southampton Resident
   Incident82%

   • I was scammed out of hundreds by AI Jennifer Aniston who loved mehttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14864301/scammed-hundreds-pounds-AI-deepfake-Jennifer-Aniston.html
   • Southampton man loses £200 through AI Facebook scamhttps://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/25272323.southampton-man-loses-200-ai-facebook-scam/
   • AI Incident Database - Incident 1122https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1122/

   I was scammed out of hundreds by AI Jennifer Aniston who loved meSouthampton man loses £200 through AI Facebook scamAI Incident Database - Incident 1122
10. 31 May 2025Reported AI-Generated Video Purportedly Depicting Keanu Reeves Debating Elon Musk Circulates as Misinformation on Social Media
    Incident78%

    • No proof Keanu Reeves debated Elon Musk about AIhttps://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ai-musk-keanu-reeves/
    • AI Incident Database - Incident 1086https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/1086/

    No proof Keanu Reeves debated Elon Musk about AIAI Incident Database - Incident 1086
11. 26 Feb 2025Unauthorized AI-Generated Video of Donald Trump and Elon Musk Reportedly Appears on HUD Building Screens
    Incident78%

    • AI video of Trump kissing Musk’s feet plays on TVs in HUD buildinghttps://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5160998-trump-kissing-musk-feet-video-hud/
    • AI Incident Database - Incident 949https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/949/

    AI video of Trump kissing Musk’s feet plays on TVs in HUD buildingAI Incident Database - Incident 949
12. 6 Feb 2025Alleged Deepfake Scam Reportedly Promoted Trump Golden Eagles Project as Investment Opportunity
    Incident78%

    • Bay Area victim duped by AI-generated Trump gold investment scam: Here's what to knowhttps://abc7news.com/post/bay-area-victim-duped-ai-generated-trump-golden-eagles-project-collectible-scam/15852376/
    • AI Incident Database - Incident 920https://incidentdatabase.ai/cite/920/

    Bay Area victim duped by AI-generated Trump gold investment scam: Here's what to knowAI Incident Database - Incident 920

PSF mapping