Woman loses $60,000 in romance scam involving Elon Musk deepfake

Local news outlet KLFY reported the case after Hilda Holland, a friend of the victim, a resident of Lafayette in Louisiana State, disclosed the woman’s belief in the relationship.

The scam began on Threads, the social media app belonging to Meta, and progressed to video chats where the impersonator used deepfake technology to mimic Musk’s voice and appearance.

Holland said: "She said, ‘I saw Elon talking to me. I’ve talked to him on, you know, Facetime.'"

"I said ‘They can do anything with a computer.'"

Elon Musk in Paris, France in June 2023. Photo by Reuters

The scammer persuaded the woman to send money via gift cards. When a local store refused to sell her due to her unusually frequent purchases, she began traveling to nearby towns to continue buying the cards.

The impersonator promised her a Tesla and thousands of U.S. dollars via FedEx but claimed the FedEx truck had crashed, requiring her to pay thousands instead to cover damages.

In all, she lost more than $60,000. Authorities said they could not recover the money since she voluntarily sent the funds.

Holland made a public appeal through local media: "Please realize it’s a scam. I love you dearly. You’re my best friend. But please, please...these people are sucking you dry, and it needs to quit."

Chris Babin of the Better Business Bureau, a nonprofit organization that promotes marketplace trust and consumer protection, suggested people should seek advice when interacting with strangers online.

"The issue is with romance scams; it can be embarrassing. But we’d encourage you, check on your friends and family and have a conversation with them if you see signs that they may be involved in this type of scam."