Key Takeaways:
- 7News Australia’s YouTube channel was hacked to stream a crypto scam using a deep fake of Elon Musk, attracting around 150,000 viewers.
- The scammers rebranded the channel as Tesla and collected over $11,000 in various cryptocurrencies by promising to double sent amounts.
- Seven Network is working with YouTube to resolve the issue, amid broader job cuts at its parent company, Seven West Media.
The YouTube channel of Australian broadcaster 7News was hacked and used to stream a cryptocurrency scam featuring a deep fake of Elon Musk.
The scammers rebranded the channel to look like Tesla, with the fake Musk promising to double any crypto sent to a specified address, a common scam tactic.
🥷 Hackers compromised the YouTube channel of Australian broadcaster 7News, which has 1.71 million subscribers, and displayed a deepfake of Elon Musk promoting a crypto scam.https://t.co/bIpYpHnCgh
— GN Crypto (@GNcrypto_news) June 27, 2024
The livestreams attracted around 150,000 viewers, though many were likely bots. Despite the hijacking, the channel retained its verification tick.
A spokesperson from Seven Network confirmed they were aware of the issue and working with YouTube to resolve it.
The scammers’ website collected Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, and Dogecoin, with wallets holding over $11,000. Impersonating Musk is a common strategy for crypto scammers, with over 35 YouTube livestreams recently featuring fake Musks.
YouTube should change its name to ScamTube.
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) June 2, 2024
A deepfake livestream of Elon Musk promoting a cryptocurrency scam is currently being broadcast on YouTube, with over 35,000 people watching. pic.twitter.com/iyjjg2nari
This incident coincided with job cuts at Seven West Media, 7News’ parent company, affecting 150 positions, including some in marketing.
About The Author
Fleming Airunugba, a seasoned Web3 and crypto content expert, leverages his deep understanding of blockchain technology to bring the latest and most impactful news to the crypto community.
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