A Florida man says his life is falling apart after being tricked by scammers using Elon Musk deepfakes.
According to News 6, 69-year-old George Hendricks from Leesburg, Florida, became a victim after commenting in a Facebook group promoting an Elon Musk car giveaway. He was soon contacted by someone claiming he had won a new car and $100,000.
The conversation was then moved to WhatsApp at the scammers’ request, where Hendricks received personalized deepfake videos appearing to show Elon Musk speaking directly to him. Convinced by the realistic videos and Musk’s public image, Hendricks trusted the claims.
The scammers first asked for a $7,500 shipping fee, then requested roughly $37,000 more for supposed investment opportunities. Each time Hendricks hesitated, additional deepfake videos were sent to reassure him. He eventually paid, draining his bank accounts and maxing out credit cards. When neither the car nor the money arrived, he reported the case to the Leesburg Police Department.
“I know it happens all the time — you just never think it’s going to be you,” Hendricks said.
The consequences have been severe. Hendricks says the scam has put his 39-year marriage at risk and may cost him his home, adding that his life feels like it has “collapsed” since the incident.
Experts warn that the rapid improvement of deepfake technology is driving a rise in fraud cases, with Musk’s likeness increasingly used to lend credibility to scams. Security specialists note that while many deepfakes still have subtle flaws, those giveaways may soon disappear as AI tools improve, making vigilance more important than ever.