Audit log

Every state-changing event for SpaceX Brand Crypto Fraud: moderation decisions on community submissions, plus corrections and updates from the news pipeline. URL-based decisions carry three independent witnesses — the original source, an Internet Archive snapshot taken at submission time, and a Solana memo signed by our publicly-disclosed publisher key.

1. #1publishby system:backfill

   2026-05-31 17:52:42Z
   Score: ? → ? (no score change)
   anchoranchored

   chain

   ●mainnet-betaslot 423,423,354

   sig

   2JZyp2H8fbP4…WbMwCwg6copyexplorer ↗

   hash

   6acdzRN36s8q…ZpGe12fVcopysha256 → base58

   verifying row…full verify ↗

   canonical bytes (24303 B) ▸

   {"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"f7a5a76a-4d6d-4111-865d-48e7733d9b52","kind":"publish","page_slug":"spacex-brand-crypto-fraud","published_at":"2026-05-31T17:52:42.561Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"SpaceX Brand Crypto Fraud","sections":[{"content":"SpaceX, Inc. is a legitimate privately held aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company founded by Elon Musk in 2002. The company has no affiliation with any cryptocurrency, token, or digital asset. Since at least June 2020, unaffiliated scammers have exploited SpaceX's public brand recognition and Elon Musk's prominence to promote a range of fraudulent crypto schemes. These operations are unconnected to SpaceX or Musk, who have not endorsed any crypto giveaway or token issuance. Security researchers at Tenable, Trend Micro, McAfee, and Avast, among others, have independently documented multiple campaigns spanning 2020 through 2024. The FTC has issued warnings noting that Elon Musk is the most commonly impersonated celebrity in crypto fraud.","heading":"Overview and Background","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Tenable: Elon Musk YouTube Advertising Scams — Fake SpaceX Coin","type":"research","url":"https://www.tenable.com/blog/elon-musk-youtube-advertising-scams-fake-spacex-coin-promoted-during-cryptocurrency-videos"},{"credibility":2,"name":"McAfee: Crypto Scam — SpaceX Tokens for Sale","type":"research","url":"https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/other-blogs/mcafee-labs/crypto-scam-spacex-tokens-for-sale/"}]},{"content":"Beginning on or around May 22, 2021, scammers launched a sustained campaign promoting a fake token called $SpaceX through purchased advertising slots on YouTube cryptocurrency channels. Advertisements ran three to five minutes and featured a fabricated tweet purportedly from Elon Musk claiming he had created a new cryptocurrency. Viewers were directed to install MetaMask and trade the token on Uniswap using custom referral links supplied by the scammers. The scammers deployed real token smart contracts on Ethereum, seeding them with approximately 60 ETH (approximately $146,300) to create the appearance of genuine liquidity. Once victims purchased the worthless tokens, scammers executed a classic rug pull by withdrawing all liquidity, rendering the $SpaceX coins worthless. Many contracts were additionally designed as honeypots, preventing victims from ever converting their tokens back to Ethereum. Fake positive comments were seeded on Etherscan block explorer to generate false social proof. Tenable researchers identified at least three sequential campaigns — Alpha, Beta, and Gamma — with documented losses exceeding $430,000 by mid-June 2021 and a projected total approaching $1 million. Twelve or more domains were registered for the operation, primarily through Namecheap and REG.RU.","heading":"Fake $SpaceX Token Presale and Rug Pull (2021)","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Tenable: Elon Musk YouTube Advertising Scams — Fake SpaceX Coin","type":"research","url":"https://www.tenable.com/blog/elon-musk-youtube-advertising-scams-fake-spacex-coin-promoted-during-cryptocurrency-videos"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Threatpost: Musk-Themed $SpaceX Cryptoscam Invades YouTube Advertising, Netting $1M","type":"news_article","url":"https://threatpost.com/musk-spacex-cryptoscam-youtube-advertising/167219/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ATTACK Simulator: $1 million stolen by scammers promoting fake $SpaceX coin","type":"research","url":"https://attacksimulator.com/blog/scammers-promoting-fake-spacex-coins/"}]},{"content":"A distinct and escalating category of SpaceX-branded fraud exploits AI-generated deepfake video and voice cloning to produce fake live streams impersonating Elon Musk and the official SpaceX YouTube channel. These streams are timed to coincide with high-profile SpaceX events, including rocket launches, to appear credible.\n\nIn November 2023, a deepfake Musk video was broadcast on a YouTube channel with 180,000 subscribers in connection with a Starship launch announcement. Researchers at BitOK documented $165,000 in losses: approximately 2.48 BTC ($91,566), 33.36 ETH ($65,449), and smaller amounts in DOGE, USDT, and Polygon-based USDT. Victims were instructed via QR code to visit a fraudulent website and deposit cryptocurrency in exchange for a promised 200% return.\n\nIn March 2024, fake SpaceX YouTube accounts accumulated over 2.3 million subscribers — roughly one-third the size of SpaceX's legitimate channel. One fraudulent account had been active since at least May 2022 before being terminated. Four channels were shut down by YouTube after the incident. Popular Science reported that a 2020 precursor incident resulted in $150,000 stolen.\n\nIn April 2024, scammers coordinated a large-scale deepfake operation timed to the solar eclipse. AI-generated Musk livestreams peaked at over 164,000 concurrent viewers on a single stream.\n\nIn June 2024, over 35 YouTube channels simultaneously broadcast fake SpaceX Starship launch livestreams featuring an AI-generated Musk voice. One impersonating channel ran three simultaneous streams with an alleged 170,000 viewers. The AI voice mimicked Musk's speech patterns, including stutters and filler words, and used phrases such as 'You have a chance to see your crypto propel exponentially as our rocket propels toward the stars.' Victims were promised a 2:1 return on minimum deposits of 0.1 BTC, 1 ETH, or 20,000 DOGE.\n\nIn October 2024, a fake SpaceX YouTube channel appeared as a top search result for hours during SpaceX's successful Falcon 9 booster catch test. The stream reportedly reached 200,000–300,000 live viewers before removal. Viewers were directed to scan a QR code linking to the domain starshipstart[.]com.","heading":"Deepfake YouTube Livestream Scams (2023–2024)","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"The Crypto Times: Elon Musk Deepfake on YouTube Scam Nets $165K in Crypto (Nov 2023)","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2023/11/24/elon-musk-deepfake-on-youtube-scam-nets-165k-in-crypto/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Popular Science: Crypto Scammers Flooded YouTube With Sham SpaceX Starship Livestreams","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.popsci.com/technology/crypto-scam-starship-launch-livestream/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"OECD.AI: AI-Generated Deepfake Elon Musk Used in YouTube Crypto Scam During Solar Eclipse (Apr 2024)","type":"research","url":"https://oecd.ai/en/incidents/2024-04-08-444b"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Times: Elon Musk Deepfake Scam Floods YouTube During SpaceX Launch (June 2024)","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2024/06/07/elon-musk-deepfake-scam-floods-youtube-during-spacex-launch/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Trend Micro: SpaceX Rocket Launching Scam (Oct 2024)","type":"research","url":"https://news.trendmicro.com/2024/10/14/spacex-rocket-launching-scam/"}]},{"content":"A third category of SpaceX-branded fraud involves fake airdrop websites, notably the domain spx-coin[.]com, that impersonate a legitimate SpaceX token distribution event. Users are invited to claim a $SpaceX coin airdrop. When a visitor clicks the 'Claim' button and connects their cryptocurrency wallet, a cryptocurrency drainer is silently activated, transferring all assets from the connected wallet to scammer-controlled addresses. This type of attack does not require the victim to voluntarily send funds — the wallet connection itself authorizes the drain. The domain has been classified as malicious by CRDF and flagged as spam by Fortinet. Distribution of these phishing sites has been observed via hijacked social media accounts — including a compromised Facebook account attributed to actor Morgan Freeman — fraudulent pop-up ads, rogue advertising networks, and links embedded in piracy and torrent sites.","heading":"Wallet-Draining Airdrop Phishing Sites","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"PCRisk: $SpaceX Coin Airdrop Scam — Removal and Recovery","type":"research","url":"https://www.pcrisk.com/removal-guides/31450-spacex-coin-airdrop-scam"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Cyclonis: SpaceX Coin Airdrop Scam — Wallet Drainer Details","type":"research","url":"https://www.cyclonis.com/remove-spacex-coin-airdrop-scam/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"EnigmaSoft: SpaceX Coin Airdrop Scam Removal","type":"research","url":"https://www.enigmasoftware.com/spacexcoinairdropscam-removal/"}]},{"content":"A long-running and persistent variant involves fake SpaceX-branded websites claiming to double any cryptocurrency deposit to celebrate a SpaceX milestone (such as a rocket launch or anniversary). These sites prominently display SpaceX logos, imagery of Elon Musk, and fabricated transaction logs showing fake 'return' payments in progress. In reality, no return payment is ever issued — the deposit is simply stolen. The deposit is presented as sent and 'pending return' in a fake UI to delay the victim's realization. A 2023 variant alleged to be giving away 100,000 ETH and 5,000 BTC is reported by multiple sources as resulting in over $3 million in ETH stolen (Tier 3 sourcing only; cannot be independently verified). Bitdefender has documented email-based distribution of SpaceX and Tesla stock and crypto giveaway phishing lures. A fake 'SpaceX Crypto Event' on Dogecoin reportedly resulted in approximately $412,000 in losses (reported by multiple Tier 3 sources; not independently confirmed by primary records).","heading":"BTC/ETH Giveaway Doubling Scams","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Bitdefender: Beware of SpaceX and Tesla Stock Giveaway Scams","type":"research","url":"https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/beware-of-spacex-and-tesla-stock-giveaway-scams-flooding-inboxes"},{"credibility":2,"name":"MalwareTips: Beware SpaceX Crypto Giveaways","type":"research","url":"https://malwaretips.com/blogs/spacex-crypto-giveaway-scam/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"PCRisk: SpaceX BTC and ETH Giveaway Pop-Up Scam","type":"research","url":"https://www.pcrisk.com/removal-guides/21875-spacex-btc-and-eth-giveaway-pop-up-scam"},{"credibility":3,"name":"Bitok.org: Fake Giveaway Scam on Behalf of SpaceX","type":"community_report","url":"https://bitok.org/blog/spacex_scam_giveaway_20_nov"}]},{"content":"SpaceX-branded crypto scams have exploited multiple mainstream platforms. On YouTube, scammers have purchased legitimate ad inventory, hijacked existing channels with large subscriber counts, and created fake SpaceX impersonator channels that rose to top search results. YouTube acknowledged terminating channels in at least the March 2024 incident and states that video uploads are monitored by machine learning and human reviewers, though critics note that large-scale deepfake livestreams have repeatedly evaded detection for hours with hundreds of thousands of viewers. On Facebook, scammers have used hijacked celebrity accounts (including an account attributed to Morgan Freeman) to distribute $SpaceX airdrop links. On TikTok, Bleeping Computer reported widespread flooding of Elon Musk crypto giveaway content. Email-based phishing using SpaceX and Tesla branding has been documented by Bitdefender. The FTC noted in 2021 that since early 2021, more than 46,000 people reported losing over $1 billion in crypto to scams, with Elon Musk the most-impersonated figure and cryptocurrency the most common payment method in investment fraud.","heading":"Platform Exploitation and Distribution Vectors","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Bleeping Computer: TikTok Flooded by Elon Musk Cryptocurrency Giveaway Scams","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/tiktok-flooded-by-elon-musk-cryptocurrency-giveaway-scams/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"FTC: Cryptocurrency Buzz Drives Record Investment Scam Losses","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2021/05/cryptocurrency-buzz-drives-record-investment-scam-losses"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Bitdefender: SpaceX and Tesla Giveaway Email Scams","type":"research","url":"https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/beware-of-spacex-and-tesla-stock-giveaway-scams-flooding-inboxes"}]},{"content":"In a separate and legally distinct incident, Robinhood announced the launch of tokenized equity products in Europe, including tokens representing shares of SpaceX and OpenAI. Following investor complaints, Robinhood cashed out approximately half of the outstanding SpaceX tokens, burned the remainder, and renamed the token to 'Demo 1.' Investors characterized this as a rug pull. OpenAI issued an official statement clarifying the token was unrelated to the company and did not represent actual equity. While distinct from the scammer-operated SpaceX token schemes described in other sections, this incident contributed to broader confusion about SpaceX-branded tokens and reinforced investor skepticism. Robinhood is a registered broker-dealer; this incident does not constitute a criminal fraud scheme by SpaceX or Musk and should not be conflated with third-party scam operations.","heading":"Robinhood 'SpaceX Token' Controversy (2024)","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Bloomingbit: SpaceX Token Turns Out to Be Fake? Robinhood Faces Rug Pull Controversy","type":"news_article","url":"https://en.bloomingbit.io/feed/news/92515"}]},{"content":"Security researchers have identified the following consistent red flags across SpaceX-branded crypto fraud campaigns: (1) Claims that SpaceX or Elon Musk has created or endorsed a cryptocurrency — SpaceX has no official token and Musk has not endorsed any crypto giveaway. (2) Promises of doubled or multiplied returns on cryptocurrency deposits within a fixed time window. (3) Countdown timers creating artificial urgency, often on presale sites. (4) QR codes linking to external domains during livestreams. (5) Requests to connect a Web3 wallet to claim an 'airdrop' — a wallet connection grants contract spending approval. (6) YouTube livestreams impersonating SpaceX with inflated bot view counts. (7) Domains registered through low-cost registrars (Namecheap, REG.RU) with short registration histories. (8) Known malicious domains include spx-coin[.]com and starshipstart[.]com.","heading":"Indicators of Compromise and Red Flags","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Tenable: Fake SpaceX Coin Technical Analysis","type":"research","url":"https://www.tenable.com/blog/elon-musk-youtube-advertising-scams-fake-spacex-coin-promoted-during-cryptocurrency-videos"},{"credibility":2,"name":"PCRisk: $SpaceX Coin Airdrop Scam Technical Details","type":"research","url":"https://www.pcrisk.com/removal-guides/31450-spacex-coin-airdrop-scam"},{"credibility":2,"name":"MalwareTips: SpaceX Token PreSale Scam Warning","type":"research","url":"https://malwaretips.com/blogs/warning-spacex-token-presale-scam-steals-your-crypto/"}]},{"content":"No specific SEC, DOJ, or CFTC enforcement actions targeting SpaceX-branded crypto scams specifically have been identified in public records as of the date of this investigation. The FTC has issued general warnings about celebrity impersonation crypto fraud and published data noting Elon Musk as the most commonly impersonated figure. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) accepts reports of such fraud. The California DFPI maintains a public Crypto Scam Tracker that includes investment fraud complaints. The absence of named prosecutions is consistent with the anonymous or pseudonymous nature of these operations, which typically use overseas registrars, decentralized exchanges, and burner wallet addresses that are difficult to attribute.","heading":"Regulatory Context and Enforcement","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"FTC: Cryptocurrency Buzz Drives Record Investment Scam Losses","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2021/05/cryptocurrency-buzz-drives-record-investment-scam-losses"},{"credibility":1,"name":"California DFPI: Crypto Scam Tracker","type":"regulatory","url":"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/crypto/crypto-scam-tracker/"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Tenable: Elon Musk YouTube Advertising Scams — Fake SpaceX Coin","type":"research","url":"https://www.tenable.com/blog/elon-musk-youtube-advertising-scams-fake-spacex-coin-promoted-during-cryptocurrency-videos"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Threatpost: Musk-Themed $SpaceX Cryptoscam Invades YouTube Advertising, Netting $1M","type":"news_article","url":"https://threatpost.com/musk-spacex-cryptoscam-youtube-advertising/167219/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ATTACK Simulator: $1 Million Stolen by Scammers Promoting Fake $SpaceX Coin","type":"research","url":"https://attacksimulator.com/blog/scammers-promoting-fake-spacex-coins/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"McAfee Labs: Crypto Scam — SpaceX Tokens for Sale","type":"research","url":"https://www.mcafee.com/blogs/other-blogs/mcafee-labs/crypto-scam-spacex-tokens-for-sale/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"PCRisk: $SpaceX Coin Airdrop Scam","type":"research","url":"https://www.pcrisk.com/removal-guides/31450-spacex-coin-airdrop-scam"},{"credibility":2,"name":"PCRisk: SpaceX BTC and ETH Giveaway Pop-Up Scam","type":"research","url":"https://www.pcrisk.com/removal-guides/21875-spacex-btc-and-eth-giveaway-pop-up-scam"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Cyclonis: SpaceX Coin Airdrop Scam — Wallet Drainer Details","type":"research","url":"https://www.cyclonis.com/remove-spacex-coin-airdrop-scam/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"The Crypto Times: Elon Musk Deepfake on YouTube Scam Nets $165K","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2023/11/24/elon-musk-deepfake-on-youtube-scam-nets-165k-in-crypto/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Popular Science: Crypto Scammers Flooded YouTube With Sham SpaceX Starship Livestreams","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.popsci.com/technology/crypto-scam-starship-launch-livestream/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Crypto Times: Elon Musk Deepfake Scam Floods YouTube During SpaceX Launch (June 2024)","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2024/06/07/elon-musk-deepfake-scam-floods-youtube-during-spacex-launch/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"OECD.AI: AI-Generated Deepfake Elon Musk in YouTube Crypto Scam During Solar Eclipse","type":"research","url":"https://oecd.ai/en/incidents/2024-04-08-444b"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Trend Micro: SpaceX Rocket Launching Scam (Oct 2024)","type":"research","url":"https://news.trendmicro.com/2024/10/14/spacex-rocket-launching-scam/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Bitdefender: Beware of SpaceX and Tesla Stock Giveaway Scams","type":"research","url":"https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/beware-of-spacex-and-tesla-stock-giveaway-scams-flooding-inboxes"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Bleeping Computer: TikTok Flooded by Elon Musk Cryptocurrency Giveaway Scams","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/tiktok-flooded-by-elon-musk-cryptocurrency-giveaway-scams/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"MalwareTips: Beware SpaceX Crypto Giveaways","type":"research","url":"https://malwaretips.com/blogs/spacex-crypto-giveaway-scam/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"MalwareTips: SpaceX Token PreSale Scam Warning","type":"research","url":"https://malwaretips.com/blogs/warning-spacex-token-presale-scam-steals-your-crypto/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Bloomingbit: SpaceX Token Turns Out to Be Fake? Robinhood Rug Pull Controversy","type":"news_article","url":"https://en.bloomingbit.io/feed/news/92515"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Federal Trade Commission: Cryptocurrency Buzz Drives Record Investment Scam Losses","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2021/05/cryptocurrency-buzz-drives-record-investment-scam-losses"},{"credibility":1,"name":"California DFPI: Crypto Scam Tracker","type":"regulatory","url":"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/crypto/crypto-scam-tracker/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"EnigmaSoft: SpaceX Coin Airdrop Scam Removal Guide","type":"research","url":"https://www.enigmasoftware.com/spacexcoinairdropscam-removal/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"MalwareTips: New Lunar Airdrop From SpaceX Crypto Scam","type":"research","url":"https://malwaretips.com/blogs/new-lunar-airdrop-from-spacex/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Blockchain.news: The SpaceX Token Scam — A Cautionary Tale in Cryptocurrency Fraud","type":"news_article","url":"https://blockchain.news/analysis/the-spacex-token-scam-a-cautionary-tale-in-cryptocurrency-fraud"}],"summary":"The SpaceX brand has been systematically exploited by unaffiliated third-party scammers to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes since at least 2020. SpaceX (the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk) has no official cryptocurrency, token, or digital asset. Documented fraud typologies include fake token presales with rug pulls on Uniswap, fake crypto giveaway and doubling scams, AI deepfake livestreams on YouTube and social media, and wallet-draining airdrop phishing sites — collectively responsible for tens of millions of dollars in documented victim losses.","timeline":[{"date":"2020-06-01","event":"Early SpaceX-branded fake YouTube channels steal approximately $150,000 via crypto giveaway scams timed to SpaceX events.","source":"Popular Science","source_url":"https://www.popsci.com/technology/crypto-scam-starship-launch-livestream/"},{"date":"2021-05-22","event":"Scammers begin purchasing YouTube ad slots to promote the fake $SpaceX token on Uniswap, directing victims to use MetaMask. Campaign 'Alpha' begins.","source":"Tenable Research","source_url":"https://www.tenable.com/blog/elon-musk-youtube-advertising-scams-fake-spacex-coin-promoted-during-cryptocurrency-videos"},{"date":"2021-06-21","event":"Tenable researchers document over $430,000 stolen across Alpha and Beta campaigns, with a third Gamma campaign ongoing. Projected total approaches $1 million.","source":"Tenable Research / Threatpost","source_url":"https://threatpost.com/musk-spacex-cryptoscam-youtube-advertising/167219/"},{"date":"2021-05-01","event":"FTC reports that since early 2021 over 46,000 people lost more than $1 billion in crypto to scams, identifying Elon Musk impersonation as the top celebrity fraud vector.","source":"Federal Trade Commission","source_url":"https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2021/05/cryptocurrency-buzz-drives-record-investment-scam-losses"},{"date":"2023-11-20","event":"Deepfake Musk video broadcast on a 180,000-subscriber YouTube channel during a Starship launch event steals $165,000 in BTC, ETH, DOGE, and USDT. Exposed by BitOK researchers.","source":"The Crypto Times","source_url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2023/11/24/elon-musk-deepfake-on-youtube-scam-nets-165k-in-crypto/"},{"date":"2024-03-14","event":"Fake SpaceX YouTube channels with a combined audience of 2.3 million subscribers (one-third the size of SpaceX's real channel) run giveaway scams during a Starship launch. YouTube terminates four channels.","source":"Popular Science","source_url":"https://www.popsci.com/technology/crypto-scam-starship-launch-livestream/"},{"date":"2024-04-08","event":"AI deepfake Musk livestream scams coincide with the solar eclipse, with one stream reaching over 164,000 concurrent viewers.","source":"OECD.AI Incident Database","source_url":"https://oecd.ai/en/incidents/2024-04-08-444b"},{"date":"2024-06-06","event":"Over 35 YouTube channels simultaneously broadcast fake SpaceX Starship launch livestreams with AI-generated Musk voice. One channel runs three simultaneous streams with claimed 170,000 viewers. Avast Threat Labs reports the incident.","source":"Crypto Times","source_url":"https://www.cryptotimes.io/2024/06/07/elon-musk-deepfake-scam-floods-youtube-during-spacex-launch/"},{"date":"2024-10-13","event":"Fake SpaceX channel becomes a top YouTube search result during SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster catch test, reaching 200,000–300,000 live viewers before removal. Victims directed to starshipstart[.]com.","source":"Trend Micro","source_url":"https://news.trendmicro.com/2024/10/14/spacex-rocket-launching-scam/"}]},"v":1}

   Verify offline (run on your own machine)

   python -m src.verify_decision d7c34ab7-c56c-4618-a11a-4e7e99e0e957copy
2. #2reviewby reviewerreviewer

   2026-06-02 15:37:19Z
   Score: 0 → 0 (no score change)
   The page is largely well-sourced and accurately describes the documented landscape of SpaceX-branded crypto fraud campaigns from 2020 through 2024. Two material factual errors were identified: (1) the FTC '$1 billion / 46,000 victims' statistic is dated to May 2021 in both the section text and timeline, but those figures come from a June 2022 FTC report — the May 2021 FTC report cited documented far smaller losses; (2) the October 2024 scam is described as coinciding with a 'Falcon 9 booster catch test,' but the event was SpaceX's Starship IFT-5 (a Super Heavy booster catch — a different vehicle). The Robinhood section heading incorrectly labels the incident as '(2024)' when it occurred in June-July 2025. The CRDF/Fortinet classification claim for spx-coin.com could not be verified from the cited sources. The specific '164,000 concurrent viewers' figure for the April 2024 solar eclipse stream is not supported by the OECD source cited, which says only 'tens of thousands.'
   anchoranchored

   chain

   ●mainnet-betaslot 423,838,060

   sig

   4aKByysAYnfv…o1ZE4Dqtcopyexplorer ↗

   hash

   72afzSh8Wd22…4PZAgC13copysha256 → base58

   verifying row…full verify ↗

   canonical bytes (1344 B) ▸

   {"actor":"reviewer","decided_at":"2026-06-02T15:37:19.234Z","decision":"review","investigation_id":"f7a5a76a-4d6d-4111-865d-48e7733d9b52","new_score":0,"page_slug":"spacex-brand-crypto-fraud","prev_score":0,"reason":"The page is largely well-sourced and accurately describes the documented landscape of SpaceX-branded crypto fraud campaigns from 2020 through 2024. Two material factual errors were identified: (1) the FTC '$1 billion / 46,000 victims' statistic is dated to May 2021 in both the section text and timeline, but those figures come from a June 2022 FTC report — the May 2021 FTC report cited documented far smaller losses; (2) the October 2024 scam is described as coinciding with a 'Falcon 9 booster catch test,' but the event was SpaceX's Starship IFT-5 (a Super Heavy booster catch — a different vehicle). The Robinhood section heading incorrectly labels the incident as '(2024)' when it occurred in June-July 2025. The CRDF/Fortinet classification claim for spx-coin.com could not be verified from the cited sources. The specific '164,000 concurrent viewers' figure for the April 2024 solar eclipse stream is not supported by the OECD source cited, which says only 'tens of thousands.'","score_delta":0,"sequence_num":2,"submission_content_hash":null,"submission_id":null,"submission_kind":null,"submission_valence":null,"v":1}

   Verify offline (run on your own machine)

   python -m src.verify_decision 7f459e38-53f7-4de7-88bc-56141df940a2copy
3. #3review reviseby judgejudge

   2026-06-02 15:37:19Z
   Score: 0 → 0 (-12)
   The review confirmed 20 of 29 claims and found no link rot or stale citations. Two claims were disputed by primary sources: claim_findings[22] and timeline[3] attribute the FTC '46,000 victims / $1 billion lost' statistic to a May 2021 report, but a Tier 1 FTC press release and CNBC confirm those figures come from a June 2022 report covering a different time period — the May 2021 source documented far smaller losses. This same error is repeated in both the section body and the timeline entry. Additionally, claim_findings[14] and timeline[8] misidentify the October 13, 2024 SpaceX event as a 'Falcon 9 booster catch test'; two independent Tier 2 sources confirm it was the Starship IFT-5 Super Heavy booster catch — a different vehicle and a historically distinct milestone. A third correction is required in the Robinhood section heading, which reads '(2024)' when the incident occurred in June–July 2025. These are editorial errors in an otherwise well-sourced investigation; the core thesis and primary loss figures remain confirmed.
   anchoranchored

   chain

   ●mainnet-betaslot 423,838,067

   sig

   3kq3qMT7Z9XA…yrtvcb2ecopyexplorer ↗

   hash

   DaSEu7QukA17…6y7CNXhDcopysha256 → base58

   verifying row…full verify ↗

   canonical bytes (1407 B) ▸

   {"actor":"judge","decided_at":"2026-06-02T15:37:19.234Z","decision":"review_revise","investigation_id":"f7a5a76a-4d6d-4111-865d-48e7733d9b52","new_score":0,"page_slug":"spacex-brand-crypto-fraud","prev_score":0,"reason":"The review confirmed 20 of 29 claims and found no link rot or stale citations. Two claims were disputed by primary sources: claim_findings[22] and timeline[3] attribute the FTC '46,000 victims / $1 billion lost' statistic to a May 2021 report, but a Tier 1 FTC press release and CNBC confirm those figures come from a June 2022 report covering a different time period — the May 2021 source documented far smaller losses. This same error is repeated in both the section body and the timeline entry. Additionally, claim_findings[14] and timeline[8] misidentify the October 13, 2024 SpaceX event as a 'Falcon 9 booster catch test'; two independent Tier 2 sources confirm it was the Starship IFT-5 Super Heavy booster catch — a different vehicle and a historically distinct milestone. A third correction is required in the Robinhood section heading, which reads '(2024)' when the incident occurred in June–July 2025. These are editorial errors in an otherwise well-sourced investigation; the core thesis and primary loss figures remain confirmed.","score_delta":-12,"sequence_num":3,"submission_content_hash":null,"submission_id":null,"submission_kind":null,"submission_valence":null,"v":1}

   Verify offline (run on your own machine)

   python -m src.verify_decision 70e88cda-49d7-4e1a-beda-1c5fe0a278f6copy
4. #4reviewby reviewerreviewer

   2026-06-02 19:36:56Z
   Score: 0 → 0 (no score change)
   The investigation is largely accurate in its core claims about SpaceX-branded crypto fraud typologies spanning 2020-2024, with specific figures from Tenable, BitOK, Popular Science, Trend Micro, and Bleeping Computer independently confirmed. Three material errors were identified: (1) The October 2024 SpaceX event is twice misidentified as a 'Falcon 9 booster catch test' when it was the Starship IFT-5 Super Heavy booster catch — different vehicle and mechanism; (2) The FTC '$1 billion / 46,000 victims' statistic is misattributed to the May 2021 FTC report when it actually comes from the June 2022 FTC report — the May 2021 report cited $80M across approximately 7,000 people; (3) The Robinhood section heading is dated '(2024)' but the incident occurred in June-July 2025. Two claims — the $3M ETH figure and $412K DOGE figure — are appropriately self-flagged by the page as Tier 3 unverifiable, which is editorially transparent.
   anchoranchored

   chain

   ●mainnet-betaslot 423,874,217

   sig

   9t4vt8qUBf1T…UqhhQrW2copyexplorer ↗

   hash

   EUBNVxYtjBSf…5nntGez3copysha256 → base58

   verifying row…full verify ↗

   canonical bytes (1294 B) ▸

   {"actor":"reviewer","decided_at":"2026-06-02T19:36:56.333Z","decision":"review","investigation_id":"f7a5a76a-4d6d-4111-865d-48e7733d9b52","new_score":0,"page_slug":"spacex-brand-crypto-fraud","prev_score":0,"reason":"The investigation is largely accurate in its core claims about SpaceX-branded crypto fraud typologies spanning 2020-2024, with specific figures from Tenable, BitOK, Popular Science, Trend Micro, and Bleeping Computer independently confirmed. Three material errors were identified: (1) The October 2024 SpaceX event is twice misidentified as a 'Falcon 9 booster catch test' when it was the Starship IFT-5 Super Heavy booster catch — different vehicle and mechanism; (2) The FTC '$1 billion / 46,000 victims' statistic is misattributed to the May 2021 FTC report when it actually comes from the June 2022 FTC report — the May 2021 report cited $80M across approximately 7,000 people; (3) The Robinhood section heading is dated '(2024)' but the incident occurred in June-July 2025. Two claims — the $3M ETH figure and $412K DOGE figure — are appropriately self-flagged by the page as Tier 3 unverifiable, which is editorially transparent.","score_delta":0,"sequence_num":4,"submission_content_hash":null,"submission_id":null,"submission_kind":null,"submission_valence":null,"v":1}

   Verify offline (run on your own machine)

   python -m src.verify_decision 96597a88-3aca-4407-a23a-ac0a9ae7c9fdcopy
5. #5review reviseby judgejudge

   2026-06-02 19:36:56Z
   Score: 0 → 0 (-10)
   The review confirmed 21 of 32 claims directly, with 5 partially supported and 3 disputed, placing the disputed_pct at 15.6% — within the minor-revision band. Two disputed claims (claim_findings[22] and claim_findings[28]) share the same root error: the FTC's $1 billion / 46,000-victim aggregate is misattributed to the May 2021 FTC data spotlight, when those figures were published in the June 2022 FTC report; the May 2021 report covered approximately $80 million in losses across roughly 7,000 people. This error appears in both the section body and the timeline entry. A third disputed claim (claim_findings[27]) is the Robinhood section heading, which reads '(2024)' when the incident occurred in June–July 2025, confirmed by CNBC and Bloomingbit. The October 2024 event is also twice mislabeled as a 'Falcon 9 booster catch test' when it was the Starship IFT-5 Super Heavy catch, confirmed by Al Jazeera as a partially-supported finding. None of these errors affect the investigation's core conclusions about the existence and mechanics of SpaceX-branded crypto fraud, which are strongly corroborated by Tier 1 sources including Tenable, Bleeping Computer, Popular Science, FTC, Trend Micro, CNBC, and Decrypt.
   anchoranchored

   chain

   ●mainnet-betaslot 423,874,220

   sig

   Vv2JYRugd8ex…D2poXfoFcopyexplorer ↗

   hash

   AEpZBbVHL8Nz…1bBrQReJcopysha256 → base58

   verifying row…full verify ↗

   canonical bytes (1581 B) ▸

   {"actor":"judge","decided_at":"2026-06-02T19:36:56.333Z","decision":"review_revise","investigation_id":"f7a5a76a-4d6d-4111-865d-48e7733d9b52","new_score":0,"page_slug":"spacex-brand-crypto-fraud","prev_score":0,"reason":"The review confirmed 21 of 32 claims directly, with 5 partially supported and 3 disputed, placing the disputed_pct at 15.6% — within the minor-revision band. Two disputed claims (claim_findings[22] and claim_findings[28]) share the same root error: the FTC's $1 billion / 46,000-victim aggregate is misattributed to the May 2021 FTC data spotlight, when those figures were published in the June 2022 FTC report; the May 2021 report covered approximately $80 million in losses across roughly 7,000 people. This error appears in both the section body and the timeline entry. A third disputed claim (claim_findings[27]) is the Robinhood section heading, which reads '(2024)' when the incident occurred in June–July 2025, confirmed by CNBC and Bloomingbit. The October 2024 event is also twice mislabeled as a 'Falcon 9 booster catch test' when it was the Starship IFT-5 Super Heavy catch, confirmed by Al Jazeera as a partially-supported finding. None of these errors affect the investigation's core conclusions about the existence and mechanics of SpaceX-branded crypto fraud, which are strongly corroborated by Tier 1 sources including Tenable, Bleeping Computer, Popular Science, FTC, Trend Micro, CNBC, and Decrypt.","score_delta":-10,"sequence_num":5,"submission_content_hash":null,"submission_id":null,"submission_kind":null,"submission_valence":null,"v":1}

   Verify offline (run on your own machine)

   python -m src.verify_decision 07ebc94d-42bb-47e3-b14f-e9aee508b216copy
6. #6reviewby reviewerreviewer

   2026-06-03 03:07:36Z
   Score: 0 → 0 (no score change)
   The page's core factual record — campaign start dates, specific loss figures for documented incidents, platform details, and technical mechanisms — is well-supported by cited sources. The principal accuracy issues are: (1) the FTC '46,000 people / $1 billion' statistic is attributed to the May 2021 FTC data spotlight, which does not contain those figures; the correct source is the June 2022 FTC report; (2) the Robinhood section heading labels the incident as '(2024)' when multiple high-credibility sources confirm the events occurred in June-July 2025; and (3) the 164,000 concurrent viewer figure for the April 2024 solar eclipse incident is not supported by the OECD.AI source cited. One Trend Micro URL has permanently redirected to trendlife.com. The aggregate 'tens of millions' loss figure in the summary is not independently verifiable from the sources provided.
   anchoranchored

   chain

   ●mainnet-betaslot 423,942,132

   sig

   3qUZjm5CdPXv…t34w71uEcopyexplorer ↗

   hash

   TTtec3Hhf5NP…5HVxyzYAcopysha256 → base58

   verifying row…full verify ↗

   canonical bytes (1233 B) ▸

   {"actor":"reviewer","decided_at":"2026-06-03T03:07:36.610Z","decision":"review","investigation_id":"f7a5a76a-4d6d-4111-865d-48e7733d9b52","new_score":0,"page_slug":"spacex-brand-crypto-fraud","prev_score":0,"reason":"The page's core factual record — campaign start dates, specific loss figures for documented incidents, platform details, and technical mechanisms — is well-supported by cited sources. The principal accuracy issues are: (1) the FTC '46,000 people / $1 billion' statistic is attributed to the May 2021 FTC data spotlight, which does not contain those figures; the correct source is the June 2022 FTC report; (2) the Robinhood section heading labels the incident as '(2024)' when multiple high-credibility sources confirm the events occurred in June-July 2025; and (3) the 164,000 concurrent viewer figure for the April 2024 solar eclipse incident is not supported by the OECD.AI source cited. One Trend Micro URL has permanently redirected to trendlife.com. The aggregate 'tens of millions' loss figure in the summary is not independently verifiable from the sources provided.","score_delta":0,"sequence_num":6,"submission_content_hash":null,"submission_id":null,"submission_kind":null,"submission_valence":null,"v":1}

   Verify offline (run on your own machine)

   python -m src.verify_decision 8a416d8f-7b84-430d-8aea-f122c9c3fc00copy
7. #7review reviseby judgejudge

   2026-06-03 03:07:36Z
   Score: 0 → 0 (-10)
   The page's core factual record — campaign start dates, specific loss figures for documented incidents, platform mechanics, and technical indicators — is well-supported across multiple Tier 1 and Tier 2 sources, with 13 of 25 claims fully confirmed. Three issues require correction before approval. First, claim_findings[18] and claim_findings[22] show the 46,000-people / $1 billion FTC statistic is cited to the May 2021 FTC data spotlight, which does not contain those figures; the reviewer confirmed the correct source is the June 2022 FTC report — this same misattribution appears in both sections[5] and timeline[3]. Second, the Robinhood section heading reads '(2024)' when two independent CNBC Tier 1 sources confirm the events occurred in June–July 2025; this is a material date error visible to every reader in the section heading (coverage_gaps[1], stale finding). Third, the 164,000 concurrent viewer figure for the April 2024 solar eclipse incident (claim_findings[11] and claim_findings[23]) is not supported by the OECD.AI source cited, which states only 'tens of thousands.' These are citation accuracy and factual labeling errors, not fabrications; the underlying events are real and the investigation's core conclusions about SpaceX-branded fraud are sound.
   anchoranchored

   chain

   ●mainnet-betaslot 423,942,134

   sig

   39Ra7WuFhZhv…oEX4DJCVcopyexplorer ↗

   hash

   2LnAJRRKH9Gn…E7pzUxTccopysha256 → base58

   verifying row…full verify ↗

   canonical bytes (1639 B) ▸

   {"actor":"judge","decided_at":"2026-06-03T03:07:36.610Z","decision":"review_revise","investigation_id":"f7a5a76a-4d6d-4111-865d-48e7733d9b52","new_score":0,"page_slug":"spacex-brand-crypto-fraud","prev_score":0,"reason":"The page's core factual record — campaign start dates, specific loss figures for documented incidents, platform mechanics, and technical indicators — is well-supported across multiple Tier 1 and Tier 2 sources, with 13 of 25 claims fully confirmed. Three issues require correction before approval. First, claim_findings[18] and claim_findings[22] show the 46,000-people / $1 billion FTC statistic is cited to the May 2021 FTC data spotlight, which does not contain those figures; the reviewer confirmed the correct source is the June 2022 FTC report — this same misattribution appears in both sections[5] and timeline[3]. Second, the Robinhood section heading reads '(2024)' when two independent CNBC Tier 1 sources confirm the events occurred in June–July 2025; this is a material date error visible to every reader in the section heading (coverage_gaps[1], stale finding). Third, the 164,000 concurrent viewer figure for the April 2024 solar eclipse incident (claim_findings[11] and claim_findings[23]) is not supported by the OECD.AI source cited, which states only 'tens of thousands.' These are citation accuracy and factual labeling errors, not fabrications; the underlying events are real and the investigation's core conclusions about SpaceX-branded fraud are sound.","score_delta":-10,"sequence_num":7,"submission_content_hash":null,"submission_id":null,"submission_kind":null,"submission_valence":null,"v":1}

   Verify offline (run on your own machine)

   python -m src.verify_decision fa62896d-cd30-492f-83a6-7b6aafc4581bcopy