Yesterday (Oct 13), SpaceX successfully completed yet another groundbreaking rocket test launch. The launch was livestreamed on YouTube by multiple outlets. At the same time, scammers saw a perfect opportunity to launch a scam. Creating a fake SpaceX YouTube channel, the scammers published their own fake livestream — unfortunately, it was the top related search result on YouTube for many hours.

Notice the odd music symbol in the fake channel’s name — the insertion of symbols is a common tactic for scammers when impersonating known brands. Below is the official SpaceX channel — note the authenticating “tick” mark. As can be observed, the fake channel was reaching live views of between 200 and 300K.

When users clicked onto the fake channel’s livestream, they were met with a deepfake video, appearing to show Elon Musk delivering a speech in celebration of the launch. This fake Elon Musk also announced a cypto get-rich-quick scheme: would-be victims were asked to deposit amounts of crypto which would then be doubled and returned by Musk and his company.

In order to partake, viewers were asked to scan the (fraudulent) QR code which would direct users to a fake website that the scammers had created. At this point, victims’ cryptocurrencies and personal credentials would likely be stolen by the scammers — who no doubt would then vanish. Beware the fake website, “starshipstart[.]com”!

The fake channel appears to have been taken down — although the website is still live. In addition, given this has just happened, it is not known how many people unfortunately fell victim to the scam. . . But given the sheer volume of viewers it doesn’t look good.

Protect Yourself with Trend Micro Check

With the increasing number and sophistication of scams, staying one step ahead is more crucial than ever. Unfortunately, antivirus software alone isn’t enough. Introducing the newly updated Trend Micro Check! Just look at how quickly and easily Trend Micro Check identified the above scam for one would-be victim:

Available for both Android and iOS, Trend Micro Check offers comprehensive protection from deceptive phishing scams, scam and spam text messages, deepfakes, and more:

• Scam Check: Instantly analyze emails, texts, URLs, screenshots, and phone numbers with our AI-powered scam detection technology. Stay secure and scam-free.
• SMS Filter & Call Block: Say goodbye to unwanted spam and scam calls and messages. Minimize daily disruptions and reinforce your defenses against phishing.
• Deepfake Scan: Detect deepfakes in real-time during video calls, alerting you if anyone is using AI face-swapping technology to alter their appearance.
• Web Guard: Surf the web safely, protected from malicious websites and annoying ads.

To download Trend Micro Check or to learn more, click the button below.

As ever, if you’ve found this article an interesting or helpful read, please SHARE it with friends and family to help keep the online community secure and protected. Also, please consider clicking the LIKE button or sharing your experience in a comment below. Here’s to a secure 2024!