Fraudsters used YouTube's recommendation algorithm to promote fake live streams impersonating Apple events and Tim Cook to direct tens of thousands of viewers to cryptocurrency scam websites.
In September 2022, scammers created fake YouTube live streams that appeared to show Apple events featuring CEO Tim Cook discussing cryptocurrency and the metaverse. The fraudsters took old interviews, including a 2018 CNN interview with Cook and a Bitcoin discussion with Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey, and rebranded them with Apple logos, crypto symbols, and misleading titles like 'Apple Event Live. Ceo of Apple Tim Cook: Apple & Metaverse in 2022.' The streams included text reading 'URGENT NEWS' and 'Apple Crypto Event 2022' while covering original CNN branding. These fake streams appeared on YouTube's homepage recommendations and attracted significant viewership - one stream reached nearly 70,000 viewers while another exceeded 10,000 viewers. The streams directed viewers through chat messages to suspicious cryptocurrency websites promising rewards. The scam coincided with Apple's actual iPhone 14 announcement event, apparently targeting people aware of Apple's activities but not closely following official channels. YouTube's recommendation algorithm promoted these fraudulent streams to users who had been watching legitimate Apple content. The fake channels used URLs unrelated to Apple, suggesting hijacked accounts repurposed for the scam. YouTube eventually removed the streams for violating terms of service after media attention.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.
AI system
Due to a decision or action made by an AI system
Unintentional
Due to an unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed