Youtube Channel SaveAFox, previously a channel about like, a fox sanctuary that showed cute footage of the foxes to get more donors, got hacked today.

It is now full of videos claiming to be from SpaceX and Elon Musk’s ugly mug.

Thing is

It’s not the first channel I’ve seen being hacked, nor is it the first to get that exact type of content spammed into it. Linus Tech Tips got hacked some time back (honestly I don’t remember how long ago, but I was already on Lemmy, so it was within the past year and change) and it had that exact type of stuff before LMG took it back.

And there was another random channel that I saw suffer the same fate some months before LTT.

My question is – Why Elon Musk? Why SpaceX/Tesla? Is Musk himself paying people to build zombie farms for him? I wouldn’t put it past him but at the same time he has the funds to not need that kind of tactic – He could astroturf by more “legit-looking” means.

Is it just because people who like Musk are more likely to fall for scams?

Idk, found myself wondering that.

  • Deestan@lemmy.world
    166·
    6 months ago

    If I were a scammer, I’d want to attract marks who are A) greedy, B) gullible and C) think they are smart.

    I’d go for Elon’s fans yeah.

    • ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net
      341·
      6 months ago

      I mean this is how a lot of spam emails worked.

      Back then, it was scammers telling marks that Bill Gates can help them get rich off the internet.

    • dactylotheca@suppo.fiEnglish
      181·
      6 months ago

      This is absolutely it.

      No, they don’t want people who hate Elon like another commenter suggested – the idea that a scammer would think that the people who are most likely to fall for their Elon crypto scam are the haters and not the people who are uncontrollably guzzling his cum is frankly bizarre.

    • uhN0id@programming.devEnglish
      13·
      6 months ago

      Imagine how bad it’ll get with generative AI only getting better. Think about someone like Linus Tech Tips getting hacked and an AI video getting uploaded of him telling his users to go sign up for a chance to win some $5000 PC “we’re giving 500 away!” and that site which won’t even have to look like anything other than “someMadeUpBrand.com/giveaway/linus”. It’s crazy to even think about how many people would fall for that shit. If the AI is good enough I might fall for it and I’m pretty damn good at catching it (for now).

      • j4k3@lemmy.worldEnglish
        5·
        6 months ago

        Nope. You jack an edited video that is ready to upload. Then, only insert a blip of an easter egg hinting at some soon to happen contest.