Tesla CEO Elon Musk leaves the Phillip Burton Federal Constructing on January 24, 2023 in San Francisco, … [+]
Social media is crammed with numerous scammers attempting to capitalize on Elon Musk’s title. Simply have a look below any of Musk’s tweets and also you’ll see individuals promising crypto giveaways, which are literally simply scams that siphon cash away from customers. However does anybody truly fall for these? Sure, they actually do. And I’ve obtained the tales to show it.
I typically file Freedom of Info Act (FOIA) requests with the FTC to find out about completely different complaints that customers have with specific firms. Beforehand I’ve finished this with FTX, Tinder and Canon simply to call just a few. It’s an fascinating approach to find out about customer support issues. However after I just lately filed a FOIA request for complaints about Tesla, I acquired some paperwork that I didn’t anticipate.
Lots of the complaints had been about Tesla, after all, and points individuals had been having with their automobiles, warranties and financing. However shoppers had been additionally complaining about scams on social media the place the con artists had been utilizing the Tesla model and Elon Musk’s title to tear individuals off. And there have been far more of those tales than I ever would’ve anticipated.
The complaints nearly all concerned crypto cash like Ethereum
ETH
BTC
DOGE
A number of the scams concerned cryptocurrencies with names like Mini Tesla and Tesla Token, whereas different scams had URLs involving area exploration and appeared to capitalize on Musk’s need to ship people to Mars along with his firm SpaceX. One of many complaints even concerned an individual who claimed to work for Tesla, although I wasn’t capable of verify whether or not that was true, given the character of the FTC’s redactions of the paperwork to guard the privateness of customers.
It appears most of the individuals discovered a lesson to not spend money on sketchy cryptocurrency on-line. However a few of the complaints are heartbreaking exactly as a result of it appears they didn’t study their lesson. In a single instance, somebody explains they had been fleeced out of cash as a result of they learn that Musk had began a brand new cryptocurrency token, but it surely turned out to be a rip-off.
“They had been operating a token pre-sale for Tesla, I used to be . However I didn’t enable myself sufficient time to do my analysis on them earlier than investing into what I assumed was an precise pre-sale of a brand new Tesla token,” the criticism reads.
However the criticism to the FTC didn’t finish there. The subsequent sentence is the actually heartbreaking half.
“Elon did in reality launch a brand new token, however the one I bought was not the legit token,” the criticism continued.
To be clear, Musk has by no means launched his personal cryptocurrency token. Musk has been public about his investments in crypto like Bitcoin and Dogecoin. But when this nameless particular person invested in one other token purporting to be formally related to Musk indirectly, they acquired scammed once more.
Lots of the complaints are extremely detailed, with explanations for the way a lot cash every particular person misplaced. However others are only one line of warning issued to the FTC, typically with a URL or social media deal with of the place the particular person presumably acquired scammed.
The complaints have been redacted by the FTC to guard the privateness of the individuals who acquired scammed and I’ve made extra redactions in some situations to not give out the URLs of scammers, which runs the danger of legitimizing their scams in search engines like google. Many of the web sites within the complaints have been pulled offline already however there’s all the time the prospect they might be rebooted if the scammers discover a flurry of visitors. However searches on the Web Archive’s Wayback Machine have allowed me to confirm that these URLS had been certainly in existence over the previous two years, typically with horrible spelling and grammatical errors.
For instance, within the screenshot I’ve captured beneath on the Wayback Machine, you may see the phrase “marathon” is misspelled as “maraton.”
Screenshot of a since deleted rip-off web site that used Elon Musk’s picture to swindle individuals out of … [+]
In some instances, very minor spelling, punctuation and capitalization modifications have been made to the complaints beneath for readability. However in any other case the complaints are simply as they had been acquired by the FTC.
Watch out on the market, of us. Crypto continues to be the Wild West in each sense of the time period. Particularly when scammers attempt to use Elon Musk’s picture to swindle individuals out of cash.
“I transferred $1,200 in Bitcoin”
I noticed an advert on Fb for Tesla Token. Made to appear like a brand new cryptocurrency supplied by Elon Musk doing a begin up providing. I transferred $1,200 in Bitcoin from my Coinbase account. I’ve the emails from them and if it helps, I can ahead them to you. […] Sure, I would really like my a reimbursement. However I wish to see them stopped and arrested extra. Please be at liberty to contact me anytime.
“I despatched 10,000 Dogecoin within the understanding he would ship again 20,000 doge for my funding.”
Was watching a reside feed of Elon in a gathering. He talked about about Dogecoin going again right down to 0.12 per coin earlier than totally investing. On high of the video was a banner saying the place to ship your Doge to. (Presumably on the time it was Elon’s public Doge pockets handle) I despatched 10,000 Dogecoin within the understanding he would ship again 20,000 Doge for my funding. I despatched, and by no means acquired my coin in change. I contacted Crypto.com, they usually mentioned there was nothing they might do. I’ve tried to contact the blockchain web site however they don’t cope with public funds or wallets. I’ve the pockets handle however that’s the one information I’ve in the mean time. The funds had been by no means withdrawn and I simply don’t know what to do at this level. Any assist could be appreciated.
“I submitted an order for 40,000 tokens”
My spouse shared a Fb occasion about Tesla Tokens being launched which despatched you to [redacted] (That is additionally faux now that I took the time to look). That picture on the location hyperlinks to [redacted] the place you should buy Tesla tokens utilizing cryptocurrency. I submitted an order for 40,000 tokens which is the equal of 800 USDC
. I’ve since eliminated any foreign money out of that pockets to disclaim them entry. This website additionally has an space to fill in private information and add documentation like drivers license and passport.
USDC
“Elon Musk was doubling BTC”
Elon Musk was doubling BTC and acknowledged no matter BTC despatched he would double it and ship it again to handle my BTC got here from. I despatched 1 BTC from Gemini Change to Handle offered. I despatched .01 .28 from Coinbase Change account. I reported phishing Web site to US Secret Service that night time and stuffed out an IC3.gov report and my BTC has by no means been returned.
“I’m an fool and by no means acquired something again”
On YouTube they’d a reside occasion pretending to be Elon Musk- to go right here [redacted] in change for double the cash. [Redacted] – that is the YouTube it’s on and it continues to reside stream. Says 37k are watching now and it’s all a hoax. So I despatched ETH to the crypto handle and naturally, I’m an fool and by no means acquired something again. That is the crypto pockets [redacted] that I despatched the cash to that’s scamming everybody.
“Now the location is gone and I can’t get my a reimbursement”
I noticed the announcement of the sale of Tesla tokens on Instagram. I went to see the location they usually had been promoting tokens. I opened an account and purchased 300 tokens. I paid in Ethereum. Now the location is gone and I can’t get my a reimbursement.
A rip-off Fb group asserting a “pre-sale” of a cryptocurrency coin that fraudulently related … [+]
“I clearly didn’t obtain something in return and am now at a lack of roughly $2,000”
I acquired a notification through Twitter that I had been added to Elon Musk’s CryptoCurrency Giveaway checklist. The rip-off account that was operating this giveaway was named Elon Musk [redacted] with some obscure numbers on the finish that I can not bear in mind. The account additionally had the identical profile image that the true Elon Musk used, as properly. The directions offered a hyperlink to [redacted]. On this web site, there was a short description of how the Tesla advertising group and Elon Musk created an thrilling alternative to additional promote cryptocurrency by initiating a giveaway of Bitcoin and Ethereum. On this web site, there was additionally a hyperlink to www.medium.com. The principles appeared quite simple: you possibly can go for Bitcoin or Ethereum, and ship a minimal quantity of both one (0.025 Bitcoin or 0.5 Ethereum), and in flip, would obtain double the quantity that you simply despatched, inside a really quick period of time (minutes). The giveaway was marketed as first come, first serve, and would finish after 5,000BTC/100,000ETH was given away. I did some fast investigating and it appeared very legit on the time, with a whole bunch of feedback of fellow individuals having success and receiving their perspective quantities, with photograph proof. The web site additionally contained the lock image within the net handle bar on the high subsequent to the web site title, which additional satisfied me that it was an actual giveaway. This after all seemed like an important deal to me, so I made a decision I wished to partake on this giveaway. Beneath is my receipt of the quantity of ETH I despatched, together with the scammers pockets handle: [redacted] I clearly didn’t obtain something in return and am now at a lack of roughly $2,000 USD value of Ethereum coin. I’m past disheartened and embarrassed for my lack of knowledge and gullibility and didn’t suppose that this may or might ever occur to me. I’m not certain what to do at this level and don’t know if there may be any approach to monitor down my funds to get them again. I wished to report this in hopes that the scammer can be caught so this doesn’t occur to anybody else.
“It was silly of me, and I by no means fall for this stuff”
I adopted the official Elon Musk account on Twitter and instantly acquired a notification that Elon Musk added me to a Listing Giveaway Marathon. I clicked the checklist to see what it was and it mentioned that Elon Musk had determined to randomly select 1,000 new followers who can take part in an enormous crypto giveaway. Hurry as much as be a part of at [redacted]. It was silly of me, and I by no means fall for this stuff so possibly it was as a result of it was late at night time or the pandemic is attending to me however I fell for it. I went to the web site and it mentioned to ship a small quantity of Bitcoin to this BTC handle and Elon Musk/Tesla would ship again a multiplied quantity. This was the fraudulent BTC handle: [redacted] I noticed shortly after I despatched it that there have been small typos on the web site and that the Twitter deal with that regarded equivalent to Elon Musk’s official one was not him. I knew then that this was a con rip-off attempting to con individuals out of Bitcoin. I simply don’t need anybody else to fall for it like I stupidly did. I hope you may crack down on them.
“I noticed the checklist was created formally from Elon Musk’s official account on Twitter”
I acquired a notification and Twitter mentioned that Elon Musk has added his checklist (a brand new function on Twitter). I entered the checklist and I noticed the checklist was created formally from Elon Musk’s official account on Twitter, and that’s why I trusted it. The checklist cowl image was written Tesla, 5,000 BTC giveaway. That is the url [redacted]. I despatched my cash to this Bitcoins handle.
“I’ve to say, it was very properly orchestrated.”
I opened YouTube and instantly noticed a reside stream with 67,000 viewers. It was an interview with Elon Musk, Cathy Woods, Jack Dorsey, discussing crypto, and giving a secret message to ship them crypto. I’ve to say, it was very properly orchestrated. My query is, HOW did they handle to get their stream to pop up on the startup of YouTube? These are purported to be my trusted subscriber pages. Properly, I found just a few unknown subscriptions in my YouTube account. Additionally they had a faux YouTube web page Ark Make investments.
“I perceive my cash might be lengthy gone”
I acquired a hyperlink to what seemed to be a information article from the Guardian web site. Nonetheless, while you clicked something on the web page it directed you to the Tesla Token presale web site. I reviewed what I assumed was a brand new cryptocurrency being offered and reviewed the phrases and situations and many others. The whole lot regarded legit to myself and one other member of the family so we proceeded to get our identities and emails verified. As soon as that was accomplished we proceeded to buy the Tesla Token. It wasn’t till I despatched this to a different member of the family that they began to search out some inconsistencies with what was famous on the earlier webpage that didn’t match up. For example, the Elon Musk tweet was fabricated, and the Guardian Web site was additionally fabricated. I went again into the Tesla Token website and reviewed the phrases and situations once more and located that they had been copied nearly phrase for phrase from an organization known as TokenTax. The very last thing that I observed is that there’s a countdown ticker on the web page and it resets day by day and strikes the discharge date to the subsequent day (yesterday it mentioned the final day to purchase was Jan 4th and now it says Jan fifth). I didn’t notice paying in crypto versus another cost technique was doubtless a rip-off. I perceive my cash might be lengthy gone however I wish to save another particular person from doubtlessly shedding much more.
“I used to be scammed”
They mentioned it was 5,000 giveaway which Tesla is giving individuals. If I ship the 0.02 to 1 BTC, I’ll get 2 to 10 BTC. So I despatched 0.0245 BTC to their account. Their account is [redacted]. I used to be scammed and didn’t find out about it. What ought to I do? Is there any chance to get again my BTC? Assist me please.
A rip-off web site that purported to provide individuals free cryptocurrency from Elon Musk.
“It needs you to ship 150 in Ethereum after which you’ll get Tesla crypto”
Advert on Fb to get in on a brand new cryptocurrency by Tesla. I ought to have identified higher and fell for it. It needs you to ship 150 in Ethereum after which you’ll get Tesla crypto. When you ship it, it says the transaction was canceled and there’s no contact information on the location.
“I purchased $200 of this coin about 10 days in the past however am unable to promote”
Mini Tesla is a crypto or alt coin, they’re web primarily based however have help websites on Twitter and Telegram! Unsure if this firm has been reported earlier than!? I purchased $200 of this coin about 10 days in the past however am unable to promote! And studying the posts over the previous few days have discovered that this can be a huge downside with mini Tesla! On their web site you may see what they provide and percentages it is best to pay when promoting! However nobody can promote!! I did learn one submit from a man who set the slippage to promote at 80 to promote! But there web site states a max of 14! I’ve tried the whole lot to promote this coin! All suggestions however to no avail! So what this website is doing is simply taking the cash and never letting you promote and wrongly promoting a product you cant generate income on!! And on contact by way of Telegram or Twitter should you begin to ask in regards to the charges and why you cant promote there coin they shut you down and delete all chat!!!
“SpaceX token”
Scammed claiming Elon Musk releasing SpaceX token. My very own stupidity in not doing analysis first – noticed this commercial on Fb. They requested for cash to be despatched to a selected pockets, then would modify the quantity on their very own web site. Then they supplied 20 bonus for placing in extra money.
“They then personify Tesla and inform gullible those that they are going to obtain as much as 5,000 BTC”
A Twitter account that goes by the deal with [redacted] has been spreading movies on Twitter of a snippet of Elon Musk’s Twitter account, with a hyperlink to a Bitcoin giveaway. They then personify Tesla and inform gullible those that they are going to obtain as much as 5,000 BTC for an change of 0.02 – 5 BTC, in order that they will confirm their handle. Hyperlink to web site: [redacted]
“Tesla was mining tokens”
An advert popped up on Instagram whereas I used to be shopping that Tesla was mining tokens that 1TT = 1.25 USD and after I clicked on the provide, it took me to [redacted] after inputting my credentials. There I used to be supplied to buy a minimal of 200 TT which amounted to $250 USD. I used to be then supplied this following ETH handle to deposit my cost [redacted]. After sending the ETH equal of $250 USD to the ETH handle, I couldn’t entry the location [redacted] once more with my login particulars. Even after I tried coming into forgotten password so I can get a reset hyperlink on my mail, they mentioned my electronic mail shouldn’t be acknowledged on their system. Please help me combating this injustice.
“…as a give away by Elon Musk”
This web site requested to switch Bitcoin to multiply them as a give away by Elon Musk. This was the handle b(6). I ended up transferring 0.02 Bitcoin to this handle. Transaction hash [redacted]
“It was setup to appear like he’s giving freely cryptocurrency.”
Reside Twitch stream of Elon Musk speaking to some individuals, I suppose a video, however was made look to look as if it’s being broadcasted reside. It was setup to appear like he’s giving freely cryptocurrency. They ask you to ship them 0.1 or extra bitcoin for instance they usually say you’ll then obtain the doubled quantity, on this case 0.2 btc. Twitch employees shut down the printed quite quick, however the website the scammers run continues to be up [redacted]. Hope you may take some motion towards them, thanks.
Screenshot of a fraudulent Medium web page purporting to be from Elon Musk.
“I invested $1,000”
I invested $1,000 on October 1, 2021, and eceived 424,201 tokens. As a token holder, every investor was to obtain NFTs on the finish of every calendar quarter. After not receiving tokens on or after January 1, 2022, a number of makes an attempt have been made to contact the corporate concerning NFT distribution issues. As of at the moment, responses have been acquired, and over the previous a number of days Fb and Twitter posts have been made encouraging new buyers to spend money on the Tesla Tokens, indicating they are going to obtain NFTs on a quarterly foundation. The aim of that is to report a attainable fraudulent scheme and forestall others from shedding cash.
“I assumed was an precise pre-sale of a brand new Tesla token”
They had been operating a token pre-sale for Tesla, I used to be . However I didn’t enable myself sufficient time to do my analysis on them earlier than investing into what I assumed was an precise pre-sale of a brand new Tesla token. Elon did in reality launch a brand new token, however the one I bought was not the legit token. The web site they used was [redacted]
“44,000 for $800 value of Ethereum”
I assumed I used to be buying Tesla Token in a pre-sale. 44,000 for $800 value of Ethereum. Website had since shut down. The web site was this [redacted]
“Stated it was an $800 minimal funding”
I noticed an advert for Tesla Token on Fb and went to the location. It had Elon Musk’s title and information throughout it and mentioned it was an $800 minimal funding. I opened a MEW pockets and despatched the Ethereum funds. I’m not skilled in cryptocurrency however see it’s gaining recognition so figured I’d give it a strive. They emailed me forwards and backwards just a few instances on 2/7/22 as I requested about after I can begin buying and selling they usually mentioned the pre-sale ends in 2 days. After 3 days I reached again out asking about buying and selling and by no means heard again. That’s when the web site disappeared. It gained’t let me add the web site handle within the web site field above because it says it’s within the flawed format, however that is the one handle I’ve for his or her web site that used to point out my funding.
“They acquired my driver’s license photos and crypto pockets handle.”
Yeah have seen a information on Fb about Elon Musk promoting Tesla cash and I’ve clicked on the hyperlink to purchase. After which I’ve came upon it’s a rip-off web site. They acquired my driver’s license photos and crypto pockets handle.
“THEN I TRIED TO STOP THE PROCESS BUT IT WAS TO LATE”
As a Tesla worker I observe the CEO of Tesla Elon Musk. I acquired a notification on Twitter from the account Elon Musk [redacted] a few Tesla promotion for Bitcoin. I adopted the hyperlink and I used to be tempted to take part! Within the strategy of authenticating I observed that my authenticating information gadget was from San Francisco, whereas I reside in Fremont! I noticed two gadgets attempting to authenticate my credentials! THEN I TRIED TO STOP THE PROCESS BUT IT WAS TO LATE. 0.7 bitcoin had left from my Coinbase pockets!
