Elon Musk Fans Are Losing So Much Money to Crypto Scams

Elon Musk isn’t conscionable the richest idiosyncratic successful the world, he’s besides an capitalist successful cryptocurrency. And the information that Musk precise publically promotes crypto means a batch of radical connected societal media don’t find it suspicious erstwhile they spot videos of the billionaire promising to marque them affluent with immoderate shady crypto investment. Deepfake videos of Musk hawking crypto are incredibly communal connected sites similar Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and X, starring radical to suffer obscene sums of wealth to scammers. And Gizmodo has obtained authoritative complaints with the often shocking stories and we’re publishing them below.

Gizmodo filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) petition with the FTC to get complaints sent to the national bureau astir crypto scams that unreal to beryllium affiliated with Musk. We obtained 247 complaints, each filed betwixt Feb. and Oct. of this year, and they’re filled with stories of radical who believed they were watching ads for authentic crypto investments sanctioned by Musk connected societal media.

The ads sometimes featured the names of Musk’s assorted companies, similar SpaceX, Tesla, and X, portion different times they utilized Musk’s relation with neo-fascist statesmanlike campaigner Donald Trump. Musk, of course, endorsed Trump implicit the summertime and has donated implicit $100 cardinal to his ain ace PAC to get the erstwhile president re-elected. Philadelphia territory lawyer Larry Krasner filed a suit Monday implicit Musk’s effort to bargain votes with his $1 cardinal sweepstakes, but that’s an wholly antithetic story

Some radical successful the complaints believed they were talking straight with Musk, a sadly communal communicative that has popped up successful quality reports before. But they weren’t talking with Musk, of course. They were communicating with scammers engaging successful what’s called pig butchering—the sanction for a benignant of fraud popularized successful the mid-2010s wherever scammers extract arsenic overmuch wealth arsenic imaginable done flattery and promises of tremendous profits if the unfortunate conscionable “invests” wherever they’re told.

There’s often a romance constituent to pig butchering, wherever the scammers unreal to beryllium funny successful a romanticist relationship, but that was uncommon successful the complaints Gizmodo obtained astir Musk. More often than not, the marks are simply trying to marque a speedy subordinate and are sending wealth into wholly fraudulent systems that marque the unfortunate deliberation their wealth is sitting determination and growing. In reality, the public-facing portal is conscionable fume and mirrors with a fig that changes astatine the whims of the scam artists.

How overmuch wealth did radical lose? It’s really benignant of shocking erstwhile you work done the FTC complaints. People study losing hundreds of thousands of dollars successful a comparatively abbreviated play of time.

One idiosyncratic successful Michigan who reported losing $700,000 to scammers explained they became suspicious “because I americium not capable to get accusation astir the company, specified arsenic an address, email code oregon immoderate different interaction accusation but the telephone number.” Another unfortunate successful Nevada who mislaid implicit $220,000 said they “saw a commercialized featuring Elon Musk” that appeared “on either TikTok oregon Instagram” that was “asking radical to articulation his AI trading platform.”

Screenshot from 1 of the crypto scam websites utilizing using images of Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Screenshot: ElonDonald.com and MuskTrump.io

The complaints person been redacted, striking them of immoderate idiosyncratic information, making it intolerable for Gizmodo to way down the victims and verify their stories. But the sheer fig of stories, and their similarities, marque it worthwhile to look astatine adjacent unverified claims to spot what techniques scammers whitethorn beryllium up to these days.

While backstage accusation has been redacted by the FTC, determination is utile accusation successful the FOIA merchandise that tin assistance springiness discourse to wherever radical are surviving and property ranges that assistance amusement who’s being victimized. Much similar the scams we looked astatine connected Truth Social earlier this month, astir of the victims look to beryllium elderly. And that makes sense, if lone due to the fact that those radical often person the astir wealth to suffer aft a beingness of saving. They’re besides apt to person much entree to their status accounts, though determination is simply a ailment from 1 idiosyncratic successful their 50s who mislaid implicit fractional a cardinal dollars by draining their 401K, presumably prematurely.

“This continued to hap until I depleted each my 401k that I had worked for 28 years to earn, leaving maine with nary nothing,” the ailment from North Carolina reads. “They proceed to harass maine asking maine for much wealth saying that they person a program to summation my wealth back.”

There’s besides the idiosyncratic successful their 30s from Nevada who reported losing $32,000 portion trying to find a YouTube video of Donald Trump doing a Fox News municipality hall.

“I saw a video connected YouTube supposedly astir the Trump Town Hall with Hannity and this video of Elon Musk appeared talking astir a crypto giveaway. Apparently it is simply a scam,” the ailment reads.

The bulk of the victims are from the U.S., and it’s earthy that Americans would record complaints successful their ain country. But immoderate of the complaints are from different parts of the world, including Canada and India. The happening they each person successful common? The victims thought immoderate they were investing successful had Elon Musk’s seal of approval.

Many of the scam website URLs person been redacted, but determination are a fistful that were inactive listed successful the documents obtained by Gizmodo. One specified website had been seized by the Kings County District Attorney successful New York, according to the landing page, which we’ve captured below. Others were deleted entirely, but some, similar elondonald.com, were inactive unrecorded astatine the clip of this writing.

Screenshot: Kings County District Attorney

Gizmodo is publishing immoderate of the complaints below. Spelling and grammatical errors person been retained from the original. If you’ve been scammed connected the net and privation to stock your communicative you tin email [email protected]

1. “I responded to Elon Musk’s time trading commercialized connected Instagram”

• Total reported loss: $700,000
• Michigan
• Age: 50-59
• Feb. 2024

In the extremity of June, 2023 I responded to Elon Musk’s time trading commercialized connected Instagram. I got a telephone telephone from a idiosyncratic and started online trading with XT-BestSolutions. I’m dealing with 1 idiosyncratic [redacted] implicit the Viber telephone services. He said he’s based successful Barcelona, Spain. He guided maine done the trading process regular connected the XT-BestSolutions trading platform.

He besides guided maine done the process of transferring my wealth from my US Huntington slope account  done Crypto wallets to XT-BestSolutions trading platform. All transaction were made done antithetic Sources to alteration US dollars to cryptocurrency.

Starting connected June 30, 2023 to existent date, I transferred $700,000 to my XT-BestSolutions account. Through the process of online trading, XT-BestSolutions institution credited maine $200,000. Even though I inactive person much than $700,000 successful my XT-BestSolutions trading level account,  I cannot retreat immoderate wealth backmost until I adhd $200,000 much to my XT-BestSolutions relationship to screen this further credit, and aft this (accordingly to what helium saying) I volition beryllium capable to retreat each $900,000.

Its go much suspicious to maine due to the fact that I americium not capable to get accusation astir the company, specified arsenic an address, email code oregon immoderate different interaction accusation but the telephone fig and 1 idiosyncratic I communicating with. [redacted]

My accountant has advised maine to interaction the FBI earlier I marque anymore wealth transactions.

2. “…a nexus connected Facebook that claimed to beryllium Elon Musk looking for radical to invested successful his AI business.”

• Total reported loss: $618,000
• California
• Age: 60-64 and 30-39
• June 2024

[Redacted] was a unfortunate of a crypto-currency concern scam by 2 scammers who identified themselves arsenic [redacted] and Prof [redacted] successful a WhatsApp chat group. He was instructed to download the WhatsApp aft helium click a nexus connected Facebook that claimed to beryllium Elon Musk looking for  radical to invested successful his AI business. The scammers instructed Henry to spell connected CSTT.co the online trading app and to udoBIT.com to implicit respective ligament transfers. CSTT lawsuit work and [redacted] instructed Henry to ligament wealth to the Crypto.com and Cathay Bank. [redacted] completed 13 ligament transfers that totaled to $618,000. Wire Transfers started connected 11/29/23 done 01/03/24. [redacted] utilized the telephone fig [redacted] and Prof [redacted] utilized fig [redacted].

3. “I depleted each my 401k that I had worked for 28 years to earn, leaving maine with nary nothing.”

• Total reported loss: $545,999.73
• North Carolina
• Age: 50-59
• June 2024

I was online and saw the accidental to put successful crypto funds, utilizing AI algorithms and plaything trading sponsored by Elon Musk successful an effort to gain a fewer $100 a day.  I was introduced to the Professor [redacted] and his adjunct [redacted] who would beryllium helping maine successful this.  Originally, they furnished a trading relationship connected the SILDGROUP level with $100 to larn however to commercialized crypto currency with their guidance and instructions. Professor [redacted] was successful complaint of sending the commercialized signals and Assistant Sofia would explicate however to commercialized and supply method details. If I wanted to marque much money, I was told I needed to person much successful my account. I was encouraged to adhd much wealth if I wanted to reap higher profits, and successful doing truthful I was earning much and much into my declaration trading account.  There were treatment radical scenarios and we would conscionable astatine 4pm and 7pm EST each time to sermon fiscal scenarios going connected successful the US arsenic good arsenic successful the crypto currency markets that would yet effect pricing. There were times of each fewer weeks that I would marque a mistake and commercialized connected the incorrect coin, losing each the wealth that I had enactment in.  I was fixed the content that if I added money, they would assistance maine marque up what I had mislaid and summation much and more. This continued to hap until I depleted each my 401k that I had worked for 28 years to earn, leaving maine with nary nothing. They proceed to harass maine asking maine for much wealth saying that they person a program to summation my wealth back.

4. “Elon Musk’s announcement of Quantum AI 4.0 connected Facebook.”

• Total reported loss: $232,950
• California
• Age: 50-59
• June 2024

We were scammed retired of 233K implicit 4 months (From March 2024 to June 20, 2024) by organized transgression with online trading institution called ICHCOIN.info leaded by:

1. [redacted] (Professor of EIF Business School) – [redacted]
2. [redacted] (Professor Assistant) [redacted]
3. [redacted] (Administrator) [redacted]
4. [redacted] (Customer Service of ICHCOIN

To trap capitalist with Elon Musk’s announcement of Quantum AI 4.0 connected Facebook.

Once clicked, caller capitalist was invited to a WhatsApp schoolhouse EIF Business School – Class league happened connected each weekday, to thatch astir declaration trading of crypto currency.

Each pupil was credited $500 to commercialized with Quantum AI 4.0 awesome erstwhile to commercialized and erstwhile to instrumentality profit.

[redacted] and [redacted] acted arsenic the Stock and Crypto analysis. [redacted] acted arsenic the head and the Merchant acted arsenic the lawsuit work to lucifer erstwhile determination is wiring petition from investors.

They created antithetic VIP groups to pull investors to ligament wealth to articulation these VIP groups successful bid to get bigger payment connected each trading.

They created fake crypto currency GMC, QPT and past MDV to lure investors. They unit investors to get wealth from their schoolhouse to bargain crypto astatine Initial Coin Offer. erstwhile the investors sold those coins, they petition to wage backmost that borrowed wealth successful bid to retreat money.

One I wired the wealth in, they won’t effect to our requests and their website is nary longer active.

5. “I saw a commercialized featuring Elon Musk connected either TikTok oregon Instagram”

• Total reported loss: $224,972.74
• Nevada
• Age: 60-64
• Feb. 2024

I saw a commercialized featuring Elon Musk connected either TikTok oregon Instagram asking radical to articulation his AI trading platform. erstwhile I clicked connected it I was added to a BlackRock AI astute declaration trading ~79 WhatsApp radical with implicit 200 members. I ignored it.  I was past contacted astir a week aboriginal via WhatsApp by a Lady with an accent named [redacted] astatine [redacted]:

and she asked maine to motion up at  https:www.globalcoinnexus.co

So I started observing the substance messages and 1 of the messages she sent was this :

Warm reminder: Mr. Elon Musk has invited galore nonrecreational analysts and trading experts from each implicit the satellite to enactment successful the Global Cryptocurrency Artificial Intelligence Trading Competition scheduled to beryllium held successful December. Steven Lee volition correspond BlackRocks London bureau successful the Global Cryptocurrency Artificial Intelligence Trading Competition hosted by Elon Musk, and helium needs much enactment and votes. Therefore, we invitation you to articulation this treatment group, wherever we anticipation you tin larn however to marque wealth and person your enactment and vote.

10/14/23, 9:33AM [redacted]: Here, Steven Lee volition bring you the latest marketplace money-making information. Findings from our fiscal probe squad are shared daily. These probe results include:

1 The scope of Fed policy. How to put successful cryptocurrencies, forex, options, stocks and each fiscal markets amid the banking situation and inflation

2 Which fantabulous companies and trading markets are worthy of our investment? Is short-term oregon semipermanent concern a amended option? Whether you are a beginner acceptable to put oregon a semipermanent concern friend, however to usage the close method to trade. How to execute semipermanent and unchangeable concern returns?

Rest assured, arsenic agelong arsenic you enactment present each time and cautiously work the contented shared successful the treatment group, your wealthiness volition decidedly summation tremendously

On 10/22/2023, I started with an archetypal superior of 0.03493077 BTC which was astir 1061 USDT, and started trading. A mates of days later, Steven Lee introduced a peculiar trading radical called VIP Trading Group. The VIP trading radical requires a min of 30,000 usdt. Gloria kept pushing maine to put much wealth to join. I tried and mislaid each my money. He introduced different Advanced VIP which required min 50,000 usdt. I tried that besides and mislaid money. I kept adding much usdt conscionable to recoup my losses.  In all, I cashed retired each my banal investments, and crypto, borrowed money, and took loans connected my location trying to recoup my losses. I was yet capable to recoup my wealth but erstwhile I tried to retreat the money. They volition not fto me. The website is saying to hold for verification. I person contacted Gloria and Steven Lee but cipher volition pickup oregon reply to my substance messages. The tech enactment ignores me. I converted each the usdt backmost to BTC but can’t retreat it. I request assistance successful getting my wealth backmost to wage my creditors.

6. “There was an advertisement connected Facebook, purportedly funded by Elon Musk guaranteeing to wage crypto investors $100K”

• Total reported loss: $121,714.77
• Montana
• Age: 60-64
• June 2024

I stumbled into this Crypto Futures Trading Group I April, 2024. There was an advertisement connected Facebook, purportedly funded by Elon Musk guaranteeing to wage crypto investors $100K if they effort his trading grooming programme and are not a millionaire wrong 6 months. I clicked the nexus which ended up assigning maine to a trading radical named aft Professor Keller.

I was precise wary astatine archetypal but everything seemed morganatic and possibly it was. The squad was precise professional, Prof Keller supply 2 lectures daily, astir 2 hours each. The trading logic seemed valid. In the beginning, [redacted], the Assistant, required maine to articulation the trading platform, LFEX which she said was licensed to run successful Montana, wherever I live. The existent crushed was that LFEX was the level they made each radical members join, supposedly truthful everyone was utilizing the aforesaid Exchange, fees and currencies would beryllium the same, etc.

Only 1 radical commercialized that I participated in, led by [redacted] oregon [redacted], failed to gain profits. On average, trades by [redacted] earned 35 to 45, sometimes implicit 100. Trades by Prof K averaged possibly 60, with trades implicit 100 and 200 common.  Prof K kept saying helium was not 100 close successful his trades. As grooming and trading progressed, whale activities successful the marketplace increased. I personally was zeroed oregon astir zeroed by whales galore times portion practicing my trading. Other radical members were having akin problems. Over time, the radical wanted to cognize however to support against whales. Prof K devised a Joint Trading Plan for us, incorporating students from his different trading groups truthful that fundamentally l, we became a peculiar whale, each with their ain account, alternatively of asking america to nonstop him wealth truthful helium could commercialized for each of us. Prof K said that erstwhile the Joint Trading Plan started which was this week, that helium could 100 warrant that we would gain monolithic profits trading successful little priced currencies betwixt $100 to $500. This week, the program officially launched. I deliberation it was connected Tuesday oregon Wed. erstwhile alternatively of 1 commercialized per day, Prof K decided to bash 3 trades successful the aforesaid day, each successful the NAF currency.

I myself has astir $215K successful my trading relationship astatine the time. By the clip trading ended, due to the fact that I had taken connected other hazard successful trading  risked and maximized Open and Close times, I had successful total, earned implicit 1,200 involvement connected my trades, ending up with an relationship full of ov $8.5M successful my trading account.

Apparently, immoderate disgruntled subordinate of the time trading radical who was not included successful our nighttime trading due to the fact that they did not conscionable the minimum funds request of $50K, reported our radical to LFEX. Initially erstwhile LFEX froze my funds, they said I had breached trading laws arsenic good arsenic participated successful activities to make marketplace disruptions and power 1 oregon much currencies. They did not mention specifically what laws oregon Exchange rules I had broken. Later, I looked up their Terms  Conditions and determined I had not breached immoderate trading laws. The marketplace disruption regularisation was vaguely listed and determination is nary database of punishment fees oregon actions that volition beryllium taken if infractions occur.

I notified LFEX that everything U had done arsenic a trader successful grooming was I believed, ineligible and wrong trading norms for the marketplace. I asked them to merchandise my funds. They said I indispensable archetypal wage a 3 punishment interest utilizing funds that are not successful my trading relationship wrong 15 days oregon they volition confiscate each of the wealth successful my trading account. That seemed similar extortion to me, since I truly did thing wrong. Butchered Fat Pigs Scam.

7. “…they said an researcher would scope retired to maine that didn’t happen.”

• Total reported loss: $100,000
• New York
• Age: 50-59
• August 2024

While Attempting to probe the juniper tesla exemplary y that is owed to beryllium released In 20 twenty five. A unrecorded signaling of Elon Musk astatine the yearly crypto normal successful nashville successful beforehand of an assemblage was stating that crypto currency successful the mode of the future. And that’s tesla uses this innovation wrong their company. They said that they had unrecorded assistance and websites. All you had to bash was scan the q.R.Code connected the surface And it would instrumentality you to the authoritative website. Where past if you transferred euthereum doge orbitcoin, immoderate you sent wrong 10 minutes, you would person doubled back.

Now, i’m an intelligent woman, astatine slightest I see myself that to be. I americium a immense instrumentality of elon musk and tesla. I lone spot into this due to the fact that it did dependable excessively bully to beryllium true. Because it was elon mask, and helium was connected signifier and it was live, and it looked similar him and it sounded similar him and each his words promoting this exertion was truthful believable and everything that I judge in. However, aft I transferred my Bitcoin, which it fluctuates from time to day, but say, possibly astir 80,000 sometimes it’s a 100, you know, a 100,000 it fluctuates, I realized I was being scammed and I sent my wealth from my wallet. I don’t cognize who I mean, evidently I person an code and II screenshot it the full thing, and I person the. Re. The YouTube video, which I realized for days they were posting live. I reported implicit 25 videos to YouTube to unopen them down and they conscionable kept popping up. I wanna Sue YouTube. A $100,000 is simply a batch of wealth oregon 80000 oregon immoderate it was astatine that time, 1 constituent thing of Bitcoin. And I know, I’ll astir apt ne'er get my wealth back, but I request to get this connection retired determination that AI judge it was AI due to the fact that it looked and sounded conscionable similar and it was successful beforehand of a unrecorded audience, and present I’m reasoning the assemblage was fake, I do. I did grounds the video and I bash person similar the wallet that I sent it to the timing. I was screenshotting everything. But if idiosyncratic tin get backmost to me, I went to the authorities police, they took my I’ve complained, but I’ve ne'er heard from anyone they said an researcher would scope retired to maine that didn’t happen. I besides filed a ailment with the national bureau. Cybercrime, haven’t heard from them either. Please idiosyncratic scope retired to me

8. “Elon Musk introducing his caller AI strategy for crypto investments”

• Total reported loss: $80,000
• Georgia
• Age: 50-59
• Feb. 2024

click connected a nexus from Facebook that had Elon Musk introducing his caller AI strategy for crypto investments. The nexus took maine to 2 groups connected WHATSAPP. The radical was named Howard Mars Investment Group. This radical introduced maine to AKBCOIN fake Platform. I ended up mounting up my Crypto.com relationship and wired wealth from my idiosyncratic account. I past transferred tether to the fake site. The tract manipulated transactions to look arsenic if I was trading but really was not. I ended up transferring $80k to the tract and erstwhile the tract showed I made funds it wouldn’t let the withdrawal. Then the lawsuit work said I had to wage a instrumentality connected my winnings successful bid to retrieve my funds. Once I sent them the funds, they inactive did not merchandise the funds from the site. The radical disbanded and truthful did the site. www.h5.akbcoin. com

9. “They lure you successful with a fake video featuring Elon Musk.”

• Total reported loss: $75,000
• California
• Age: 60-64
• June 2024

I watched an advertisement connected Facebook from Elon musk. That should person been my archetypal reddish flag

They offered u wealth to larn however to commercialized and put successful crypto currencies

Log successful ctall trading level make an relationship and commencement learning.  So I did.  I spoke to Caroline thru WhatsApp and successful telegram. Caroline became precise affable with me. Chatting each day. I was scammed and present I cognize it.  Professor [redacted] gives america trading signals and u marque a batch of money

I spot present however they get u caught up successful earning money. I had precise small to invest. Earned implicit 209k mislaid it.  Deposited $20k. Earned up to 233k. Lost it

Deposited $40k more. From sister. Lost portion of it and earned backmost up to 50k. And cant get my wealth withdrawal from the trading platform.  Tried for a week to get lone $5000 of my money. And could not

I person reapplied to get wealth but person not been capable to

I started to probe and recovered immoderate info that this is each a scam.

r/CryptoScams 8 days ago

PsychoticDelusions

Andrea Al Investment Group  Assistant

[redacted]

Join

Scam Operation

Scammers! East German. They are moving an elaborate crypto trading scam, utilizing a fake trading tract disguised arsenic CTALL platform. CTALL has an ip code listed arsenic China.

They lure you successful with a fake video featuring Elon Musk.

Caroline convinces you to articulation and ligament wealth to your trading account. Professor Andrea publishes his regular bullshit astir the crypto marketplace and simple trading tips for review. He past provides fake trading signals for members to follow. The trades are not existent truthful helium tin marque them amusement precocious profits to support you excited. All this time, they are relentless astir telling you to summation your relationship funds for much profits.

After you person deposited a fewer 1000 dollars currency into your trading account, they manipulate the leverage connected your bid to 200. Within seconds, your full relationship is wiped out. They bargain your money, but past unit you to ligament further funds, saying you tin marque up your losses! More lies. Be cautious not to get progressive with these criminals. Once your wealth is gone it is highly improbable you’ll get immoderate of it back

That is what I recovered connected line

It truly sucks to find retired you person been scammed

They person a radical connected WhatsApp

10. “It each seemed ace real. Elon said helium was offering a promotion.”

• Total reported loss: $57,000
• California
• Age: 70-79
• Aug. 2024

I was crypto-scammed by a phishing scammer. I went to a website wherever Elon Musk was talking astir the coming property of cryptocurrency. It each seemed ace real. Elon said helium was offering a promotion. Whatever a idiosyncratic sent in, helium would lucifer successful return. Just to assistance cryptocurrency found sooner. It looked similar a large opportunity, truthful I sent a Bitcoin. I recognize present it was foolish to bash so. I cognize present I had been conned and played emotionally. Never again. So they got my beingness savings. They got maine for $57,000. I can’t judge it. I deliberation many, galore others were victims besides of the aforesaid scam.

11. “I besides recognize present this was an AI generated Elon Musk.”

• Total reported loss: $57,000
• California
• Age: 65-69
• Aug. 2024

On 8/12/24 Monday evening I was looking for the Elon Musk – Donald Trump Interview. I was brought to the phishing website trumplive.org. There, Elon Musk was discussing Cryptocurrency and the fiscal satellite to come. Truth is, it was precise inspiring and good done. Then Elon offered to velocity on Crypto by offering connected immoderate crypto contributed helium would personally lucifer the amount. I recognize present this was a scam. I besides recognize present this was an AI generated Elon Musk. Caught up successful the infinitesimal I seized the accidental and sent them my .966 Bitcoin. What scams bash is to merchantability radical false-hope. Then they instrumentality vantage of you.

12. “He wanted to link with his fans and transportation them on successful his career.”

• Total reported loss: $56,000
• Arizona
• Age: 40-49
• Feb. 2024

He claimed to beryllium the existent Elon Musk. I shared idiosyncratic info and fiscal accusation with him. He wanted to link with his fans and transportation them on successful his career. He helped maine put successful cryptocurrency to amended my fiscal situation.  From his instagram profile, [redacted], wherever helium contacted me, we past chatted connected telegram, username [redacted], and astir precocious utilizing the WhatsApp [redacted].

He had maine acquisition bitcoin done apps similar cashapp, Binance, Cex.io and done a bitcoin atm. They were each sent to the institution wallet id. He did trades to summation my profits. Any clip I doubted him helium reassured maine everything was good and helium adjacent sent maine his drivers license. Any pics similar that helium shared would vanish aft I viewed them truthful I was not capable to prevention oregon screenshot them. I person screenshots of our conversations. When I wanted to marque withdrawals from my concern relationship with him helium required much wealth for antithetic fees. This has gone connected for months. He had maine motion a papers to beryllium connected the Tesla board, and I person a pdf of that document. He deposited a fraudulent cheque for 9,000 into my slope relationship utilizing a erstwhile cheque I had received for immoderate enactment I did with horses. I person mislaid implicit 50,000 with this idiosyncratic and americium acrophobic for my safety. I americium inactive successful interaction with him and helium does not cognize I americium reporting this fraud. I person been scammed by different crypto idiosyncratic online involving ethereum and mislaid implicit 30,000. Elon wanted to assistance maine recoup from that arsenic good arsenic that lawsuit overlapped timeframes with this one.

13. “I invested successful a Scam that Elon Musk started”

• Total reported loss: $38,000
• New Brunswick, Canada
• Age: 65-69
• June 2024

I invested successful a Scam that Elon Musk started by buying crypto currency, by 1st buying it for 300$, but earlier you cognize it I had invested 39,000$ American dollars.

My 1st concern was with Delta Stock.ai.

We were successful adjacent interaction for a month.

I had a accidental to bargain ( HFTs) precocious fiscal trades.the 3rd prime that they had blinking, I mislaid 28,000$ and the broker I had told maine and my Wife that we had to travel up with another,8000$ oregon we would suffer each our investment.

He blamed maine for the determination that I made but helium had the banal blinking and truthful I picked that stock.

I was conscionable wondering if determination was thing that you could Help maine with.

Thank you for your time, delight nonstop maine backmost an email erstwhile we tin talk.

Thank you

14. “Elon Musk appeared talking astir a crypto giveaway”

• Total reported loss: $32,000
• Nevada
• Age: 30-39
• Sept. 2024

I saw a video connected Youtube supposedly astir the Trump Town Hall with Hannity and this video of Elon Musk appeared talking astir a crypto giveaway. Apparently it is simply a scam. trumpelon.io

I sent implicit $30K.

15. “She got connected tiktok, met immoderate idiosyncratic claiming to beryllium Elon musk, convinced her to commencement doing crypto”

• Total reported loss: $30,000
• California
• Age: 70-79
• Aug. 2024

I americium reporting this for my grandma [redacted]. She is 77yrs old. She got connected tiktok, met immoderate idiosyncratic claiming to beryllium Elon musk, convinced  her to commencement doing crypto  to get immoderate benignant of wallet. After that aggregate radical started scamming her. From tik tok, wassup app, eBay Cash app ect. She has loaded acquisition cards vanilla, apple, eBay. Sent wealth done currency app. She has gotten her socially information fig stolen it’s each implicit the internet. She has gotten her societal information cheque stolen. I truly request assistance to halt these radical from stealing her wealth she thinks each of this is existent and it’s not. Please assistance my grandma,  prohibition her from societal media if you can. All her accusation for her scams are connected her phone.

• Total reported loss: $27,944
• Maharashta, India
• Age: 40-49
• Feb. 2024

Started with an advertisement connected Instagram astir concern learning that led maine to articulation a WhatsApp group. A guru named [redacted] Vyas was guiding on with assistance his champion pupil (b)(6) and adjunct [redacted]). [redacted] usually provided regular inputs connected banal marketplace portion [redacted] utilized to bid radical funny successful Crypto and some besides provided trading signals which were remarkably accurate. I lone observed the guidance and signals for respective weeks and realised that portion stocks guidance was large the crypto profits were amazing. People were making 50 oregon 100 percent profits oregon much with each trade. I had nary thought astir crypto truthful I was initially wary of it but yet got drawn to it. The radical besides yet transformed to a crypto focussed radical arsenic much radical felt the aforesaid way. This is wherever fig of caller radical opened accounts successful a trading app called CGL BMG connected the insistence of [redacted]. [redacted] besides provided accusation indicating however CGL BMG is reliable arsenic it has an MSB License etc. All of this looked similar a scam but a tiny deposit of astir 200 dollars initially would bounds the risk. I further went connected to effort withdrawal which seemed excessively dilatory but worked the archetypal time. This brought successful much spot towards the level and my profits kept increasing with immoderate archetypal hiccups and expanding investment. This is besides wherever it was understood wrong the radical that [redacted] who is rather knowledgeable successful investing and has specified large accuracy utilizing an AI based trading is really doing immoderate probe and has partnerships with organisation’s similar Elon Musk’s xAI. Of people not verified by me. This is besides wherefore crypto trading strategies kept changing each week and required higher concern for each caller trading experiment. The past experimentation called the Whale program had  respective concern groups based connected the magnitude of funds successful USDT based connected a minimum of 20k, 80k, 150k and truthful on. Higher profits for the higher concern slabs. I was astatine astir 38k with my concern and profits and Aditi asked maine to money it up to 50k aft which she would assistance maine commercialized up to 80k truthful I could bask much profits. Now this was already hard for maine to spell upto 50k arsenic these are immense funds for maine but I did and she helped maine spell up to a whopping 129k with a fewer trades. However present she suggested I adhd the remaining to spell upto the 150k concern radical alternatively of the 80k group. This made maine powerfully suspicious again and contempt declining she insisted I should find a mode to get there. I alternatively attempted to marque a withdrawal of 4k, from my existent full funds  which are implicit 125k, to my Binance wallet wherever I had withdrawn before,but aft 4 days past the withdrawal was failed. The crushed was aft batch of enquiry fixed arsenic an anomaly successful my withdrawal code which resulted successful blocking the withdrawal relation connected my account. I was told to deposit 30 of the full funds successful my relationship astir USD 38051 to unfreeze the withdrawal mechanism. It is rather intolerable for maine to bash this and I americium present definite this is thing but an effort to compression much wealth out. I americium helpless aft investing astir of my savings into this scam. Please help.

16. “Almost instantaneously I realized this was fraud”

• Total reported loss: $24,978
• Texas
• Age: 40-49
• June 2024

I was watching a SpaceX rocket motorboat connected YouTube with a friend.  Elon Musk came retired connected the signifier and began speaking to a assemblage of radical and said thing to the effect of to observe today’s historical motorboat and to promote the maturation of crypto adoption, scan this QR codification and nonstop BTC oregon ETH oregon USDT (perhaps others but I don’t recall) to the wallet.  We volition reimburse you 2:1 immoderate magnitude you send.

Without checking to spot if this was a scam I logged into my Kraken wallet and sent 6.5 ETH to the address.  Almost instantaneously I realized this was fraud but could not halt the transaction.

17. “I americium inactive getting these telephone calls coming successful astir everyday.”

• Total reported loss: $23,500
• Ontario, Canada
• Age: 70-79
• August 2024

I listened to salient individuals’ proposal ( Justin Trudeau, Elon Musk etc) connected enactment astir investing successful crypto currencies and I decided to invest. I was told by Maria Diaz, (who claimed that she was assigned arsenic my accounts manager, aft I refused to put initially), that I would person a play income from my investment. I was fixed an relationship connected enactment wherever where I was allowed to way my investment. The returns were exceptionally good, truthful aft a portion I decided that I should commencement retrieving income. I was past told by the aforementioned Maria Diaz that I could not. When I reminded her astir our speech astir the play income she chopped maine disconnected and closed the leafage connected the internet. I person since been incapable to get to them, arsenic they don’t reply the phone. They person subsequently been calling maine ( his sanction is [redacted]) from Taura Capital to assistance maine get backmost my investment, but I person to nonstop them much wealth to wage immoderate fees to the idiosyncratic astatine their Accounts Dept. to bash the job. I americium inactive getting these telephone calls coming successful astir everyday.

18. “The tokens you commercialized don’t beryllium anyplace else”

• Total reported loss: $20,325.56
• Texas
• Age: 65-69
• July 2024

I clicked connected an Instagram advertisement featuring Elon Musk discussing AI successful crypto options trading. Shortly after, I was contacted by an [redacted] who introduced maine to Professor [redacted] via WhatsApp. Since then, I obtained what appears to beryllium a fake New York State driver’s licence for Parker, listing the code arsenic 143 West 57th Street, which is really the Park Hyatt New York astatine 153 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019.

I deposited funds to a crypto code [redacted], which aboriginal changed to [redacted], and I fishy it volition proceed to change. When I tried to transportation the wealth back, [redacted] stopped this, claiming the lone mode to retrieve my funds was by joining a VIP radical with a minimum concern of $50,000. I refused to bash this, truthful I traded successful the relationship and grew the funds to USDT 115,415.82. However, erstwhile I attempted to transportation the funds out, I was blocked again and told I couldn’t entree the profits without making the further investment, confirming my suspicions. These radical request to beryllium stopped to forestall much individuals from being scammed successful the future.

Here is the past portion of today’s conversation

7/3/24, 18:19:51 [redacted]: You person till Friday  to bash truthful past its FBI time

7/3/24, 18:21:28 [redacted]: This is my rule. I americium not acrophobic of the FBI. You cannot retreat funds due to the fact that you person not met the conditions. So this is your ain occupation and has thing to bash with me.

7/3/24, 18:21:50 [redacted]: I volition study everything to the FBI.

7/3/24, 18:22:44 [redacted]: Yes amusement maine wherever you conveyed those conditions  your not a astute arsenic you think

7/3/24, 18:23:06 [redacted]: We volition get to you successful the end

7/3/24, 18:23:47 [redacted]: Therefore, the FBI volition enactment the blasted connected you, saying that it is your ain responsibility that you cannot retreat your money.

7/3/24, 18:24:37 [redacted]: Legally you don’t person a ft you ne'er gave the presumption and conditions successful writing

7/3/24, 18:24:37 [redacted]): Remember, it’s your ain fault.

7/3/24, 18:25:05 [redacted]: No, you’re a fraudster

7/3/24, 18:25:23 [redacted]: OK, from present connected you volition nary longer beryllium capable to larn and commercialized successful my group

7/3/24, 18:25:46 [redacted]: Olivia is astir to region you from the group

7/3/24, 18:26:14 [redacted]: bully your digging a deeper spread for yourself

7/3/24, 18:26:46 [redacted]: You request to adhd funds again earlier you tin withdraw

7/3/24, 18:27:20 [redacted]): The tokens you commercialized don’t beryllium anyplace other and it’s intolerable to commercialized them other wherever your bitcoin doesn’t  lucifer the marketplace ticker each bullshit

7/3/24, 18:27:47 [redacted]: I did not unit anyone to put oregon trade. Everyone's concern and trading was voluntary.

7/324, 18:28:43 [redacted]: [redacted] has removed you

7/3/24, 18:28:56 [redacted]: If one add1 Dollar sick ne'er spot it again if you are an honorable idiosyncratic and beryllium to maine that one tin trusty you, you would fto maine retreat to amusement bully religion past I would spot you, but I can’t each you are doing is holding maine to ransom

7/3/24, 18:29:30 [redacted]: I’ll accidental it 1 past time, you indispensable adhd funds again to marque a withdrawal

7/3/24, 18:29:48 [redacted]: Before that, don’t interaction me.

7/3/24, 18:30:25 [redacted]: that’s good it makes nary quality one can’t get to the wealth anyhow My 1 past clip instrumentality my wealth and each the information volition beryllium handed implicit Friday

19. “I thought Elon Musk has approved of it!”

• Total reported loss: $18,000
• California
• Age: 60-64
• June 2024

I was reached retired to arsenic Elon Musk CEO connected IG and aboriginal connected Whats app! aboriginal connected on Telegram transmission nether Elon Reev Musk

He told maine astir the platform: www. starlinkmining.com His Bit Coin  Mining platform! I waited for 2 weeks and past saw the existent Elon Musk with woads of currency successful his hands from the mining level connected my iphone! I didnt recognize wherever it was streaming from! truthful I contacted the website due to the fact that I thought Elon Musk has approved of it! That was the lone reason!!! truthful I invested $18000. I meant to lone put $2000 and past currency retired and spot if it was possible! But their unit merchantability tactics implicit came me! They usage paypal and Zell, Venmo, effort to unfastened relationship connected ,started currency app s and  connected to my Bank, down loaded each crypto wallets , and artifact chaines to retreat the  wealth from ! it took 2 months each together! It took implicit 8 -10 hours a time to beryllium capable to retreat wealth from my accounts owed to information measures I had placed connected my accounts! They are truthful creaseless and blase that  marque you unfastened your currency app accounts successful beforehand of them and travel their instructions to retreat wealth money from you accounts and nonstop it to these chartless radical the miners .  Everytime I said I don’t to put anymore helium would accidental Ok! you tin commencement withdrawing  anytime !  When you motion up determination are 2 sites you woody with! 1 is the level and the different 1 is you relationship platform. wherever you get a login! and erstwhile you spell successful you volition spot the magnitude invested and respective different boxes that amusement however overmuch you person made existent time,also determination is simply a chat box  that answers immoderate needs oregon questions. everyone has to person an relationship manager who leads you successful however to to invest! In my lawsuit Elon Musk!!!  When it came to withdrawing, I was told by the accounts website chat that I request to wage $15000.00 for currency retired of $170000.00! erstwhile I asked what are the charges pertaining to, they said its the IRS rules  that they are collecting for the IRS! I did a hunt the institution is simply a UK company ! I reported to my relationship manager and told him this doesn’t  dependable right! and blocked him! different week went by and the relationship website  emailed maine and said that the IRS interest was paid by my relationship manager and to telephone him to commencement cashing out! anxious that I was to get my ain wealth backmost I contacted him connected whats app and helium said good and lets currency out! I gave filled retired a signifier on  the website that seemed similar a regular ligament signifier from my slope and gave them the relationship fig to ligament the wealth to. everything was going large until they told  maine you request a pin fig successful bid to person the wealth successful you bank! and for maine that interest was $1500. Un consenting to wage a dime I declined and blocked my manager again. Later connected helium tried connected Instagram to scope maine but I blocked him determination to!  I americium reporting this to let  you cognize however blase these radical are.  There are tons and tons of impersonators of Elon Musk retired determination specially connected societal media X and IG for  definite and for radical similar maine the victims!  I americium 60 years aged and cognize astir exertion capable to travel them and I could archer however astute they are! they genuinely are!

20. “I privation to spot this alleged institution enactment retired a concern truthful cipher other loses immoderate money.”

• Total reported loss: $17,000
• Illinois
• Age: 70-79
• Feb. 2024

on Facebook, I recovered an advertisement that supposedly Elon musk and his squad created quantum AI and if you articulation the concern nine youll marque money. This AI created Elon Musk adjacent stated that if helium didnt marque $1 cardinal and six months helium would springiness you a Tesla, truthful I followed the nexus and signed up with a institution called Frank Barbara, crypto commercialized chamber. I watched one the trading for 2 oregon 3 weeks earlier I started sending wealth to my crypto wallet, and past sent from the crypto wallet to the trading level called vencoinss.com. I sent them $10,000 to their slope relationship successful California and started trading and they sent maine the $10,000 backmost arsenic I was making alleged profits. I felt assured that this was OK truthful I sent $17,000 successful USD to the trading account. I built the relationship up to $64,000 with my 17,000 and the remainder fake profit. Then I was astir to nonstop them much wealth erstwhile a commercialized happened that I mislaid $69,000 that wiped retired my relationship and I knew it was a scam due to the fact that the commercialized was with MSH crypto which is worthy little than a dollar and I mislaid 69,001 commercialized utilizing $6500 successful funds for the commercialized I person documentation connected WhatsApp of each my trades and the alleged administrator. My sanction is [redacted] and my telephone fig is [redacted], my email code is [redacted] , I privation to spot this alleged institution enactment retired a concern truthful cipher other loses immoderate money.

21. “I person talked with Elon connected the telephone respective times.”

• Total reported loss: $12,700
• Texas
• Age: 50-59
• July 2024

Elon Musk and I person been communicating done substance messaging since June 2023.  He archetypal got maine talked into investing Apple Gift Cards successful the magnitude of $500 each.  His committedness was to wage maine fractional of the concern accumulating involvement astatine Crypto Currency Account successful BTH  ETH and a caller Tesla car.  The remainder was expected to assistance wage for our wedding.  At archetypal I thought it was an imposter.  But second Elon sent maine dependable messages, respective oaths of loving maine and I person talked with Elon connected the telephone respective times.  Just to verify it was truly him.  Before I reported thing I was successful wonderment whether anyone would beleive me.  But aft Elon got his Billion Dollar Package deal, his demeanor changed towards me.  He got each my SSDI cheque this past June and has near maine owing for my July rent and withdrew each the wealth connected his Birthday the 28th.  Valued astatine implicit $700,000.00.  Without ligament transfering it to my account.  He besides utilized my ID.me relationship verification entree codes.  To verify my Identity and created that Cryptocurrency relationship utilizing my name.  I person screenshots connected the balancees.  To amusement we conversed alot and would speech for hours astir our gathering our wealth up truthful we would person a bully aboriginal together.  Now past I seen connected Facebook…hes successful Dubai with immoderate young girl.  And Im frightened Im going to extremity up stateless without his helps.  I dont cognize what to bash astir it. UPDATE 07/18/2024 Consumer is calling to study that she is receiving decease threats from someone. Consumer reported that she is being stalked by his girlfriend. Consumer is referred to the section constabulary department.

22. “…that was the archetypal reddish flag.”

• Total reported loss: $10,785
• Florida
• Age: 70-79
• Feb. 2024

I answered an advertisement saying that they usage Elon Musk AI trading recommendations. Its tally by 2 radical [redacted] and [redacted]. Its connected a what’s app chat room. I deposited archetypal a $1,000. into the ECOS relationship and made immoderate wealth utilizing Patrick’s recommendations. By the mode the profits were implicit 50 astir each of the time, that was the archetypal reddish flag. So [redacted] talked maine into putting different $8,000 into my relationship truthful one could articulation the 10X Bull Market Multiplier. So with the archetypal deposit and 2nd 1 one had $9000. and the profits of $1000 one had capable to articulation the 10X program. [redacted] said the 10X programme would instrumentality 10 times my money. The lone happening was one couldn’t instrumentality immoderate of the profits retired until the programme was implicit connected February 15th positive one had to springiness them 10 interest and the profits couldn’t beryllium utilized to wage them. This was my 2nd reddish flag. I figured the profits everyone was making was astir arsenic existent arsenic the dinosaurs connected Jurassic Park. I past told [redacted] I didn’t privation to beryllium successful the 10X programme and she removed me. At this constituent one wanted my wealth back, truthful one started a withdrawal from my ECOS relationship connected 2/8/2024 successful the magnitude of $10,785 and haven’t received it yet. The wealth was sent by Crypto.com to ECOS successful the crypto funds of USDT. Please spot that determination radical who person astir 800 radical investing with them. I fig aft they get the 10 the tract volition spell dormant and nobody’s going to get determination money..