why invest in fake currencies that are worthless during a power outage whose inventors refuse to show their faces
Canadians lost $224,201,739 to cryptocurrency investment in 2024, and so far have lost $103,172,872 this year alone, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Cryptocurrency fraud usually involves fake videos generated with artificial intelligence (AI), that feature prominent politicians or celebrities promoting fake websites.
Two Ontarians CTV News spoke with collectively lost $58,600 after falling victim to separate AI-generated videos advertising fraudulent cryptocurrency investments.
“We got stung big time and we don’t want it to happen to anyone else,” said Don Perkins of Stittsville, a community in Ottawa.
It was in January when Perkins and his wife, Guylaine Perkins, said they saw a video of then Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, appearing to talk about an investment opportunity that could make them rich.
According to the AI-manipulated video, Freeland spoke about the “opportunity” Canadians could invest in, making them rich.
We bought into it and got swindled by a pair of smooth talking individuals,” Perkins said.
The Perkins said they started out investing with just a few hundred dollars, but eventually handed over their life savings of $42,600.
It wasn’t until they tried to withdraw the funds that they realized they lost all their money.
“When we went to access the money, they wouldn’t give it to us and said we would have to give them $10,000,” said Perkins.
Brenda Dionne of Whitby also had a similar experience when she saw an AI-generated video of what seemed to be Prime Minister Mark Carney claiming Canadians could make money investing in cryptocurrency.
www.ctvnews.ca
Canadians lost $224,201,739 to cryptocurrency investment in 2024, and so far have lost $103,172,872 this year alone, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
Cryptocurrency fraud usually involves fake videos generated with artificial intelligence (AI), that feature prominent politicians or celebrities promoting fake websites.
Two Ontarians CTV News spoke with collectively lost $58,600 after falling victim to separate AI-generated videos advertising fraudulent cryptocurrency investments.
“We got stung big time and we don’t want it to happen to anyone else,” said Don Perkins of Stittsville, a community in Ottawa.
It was in January when Perkins and his wife, Guylaine Perkins, said they saw a video of then Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, appearing to talk about an investment opportunity that could make them rich.
According to the AI-manipulated video, Freeland spoke about the “opportunity” Canadians could invest in, making them rich.
We bought into it and got swindled by a pair of smooth talking individuals,” Perkins said.
The Perkins said they started out investing with just a few hundred dollars, but eventually handed over their life savings of $42,600.
It wasn’t until they tried to withdraw the funds that they realized they lost all their money.
“When we went to access the money, they wouldn’t give it to us and said we would have to give them $10,000,” said Perkins.
Brenda Dionne of Whitby also had a similar experience when she saw an AI-generated video of what seemed to be Prime Minister Mark Carney claiming Canadians could make money investing in cryptocurrency.
Canadians have already lost $103 million to crypto investment scams this year: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
Canadians lost $224,201,739 to cryptocurrency investment in 2024, and so far have lost $103,172,872 this year alone, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
www.ctvnews.ca
