Is the Elon Musk livestream that doubles your Bitcoin a scam?
Yes, always. The video is a fake made with AI, and the crypto you send never comes back. One livestream studied by DFRLab raised over $50,000 in two hours.
Arrives by YouTube, social media, adverts. Pretends to be: Elon Musk, Tesla, a famous person.
An international scam: the same English text goes out in every country.
How to spot it
2Over 750 BTC & 5,300 ETC have already been sent to livestream viewers. 3Automatic doubling for everyone who acts promptly: 4scan the QR code and send BTC, ETH or DOGE.
5https://telsa-.com
Example: rebuilt from a fake livestream studied by DFRLab on 18 June 2024: "automatic doubling", "acted promptly" and the chat line are word for word. We blacked out the dark parts.
- A livestream with a famous face: Musk, a CEO, a politician
- The chat is closed, with only messages from people who "already got paid"
- A promise to send you back double what you send
- A QR code on screen
- A web address like the real one, with one letter wrong
How it works
A YouTube channel with many subscribers is hijacked and renamed "Tesla", with the logo and the verified tick. A livestream starts with a fake Elon Musk, made with AI, who promises to send back double to anyone who sends Bitcoin or other crypto. A QR code on screen leads to a website with a name almost the same as the real one. In the chat, only people who say they already got double can post. Crypto you send cannot be got back.
What to do
Never send crypto to get double back: nobody does that, not even for an event.
Report the livestream to the platform. If you already sent crypto, contact the exchange you sent it from straight away.
If you have lost money, tell your bank now and report it to Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040) with your screenshots; in Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. If someone is coming to your home to collect money or cards, call 999.
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