Huddersfield Man Scammed by Deepfake Elon Musk Video

John Cairns, a 61-year-old from Huddersfield, was scammed out of £3,250 after falling for a deepfake video of Elon Musk on Facebook promoting a fraudulent AI trading platform. Initially investing £250, Cairns was convinced by an 'account manager' to download MetaTrader 5 and AnyDesk, allowing scammers remote access to his device. The scammer's manipulation led Cairns to invest more, totaling £3,250, after being shown fake profits and successfully withdrawing a small amount as a confidence trick. Despite attempts to recover his funds, Cairns warns others, emphasizing his vulnerability due to grief over his father's passing. This incident is part of a growing trend of celebrity deepfake scams, including fake endorsements from figures like Richard Branson and Keir Starmer. The National Fraud Helpline is assisting Cairns, highlighting the challenges in distinguishing legitimate investments from scams.