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Deepfake AI Drives $46 Million Crypto Scam Across Asia

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Hong Kong police discovered a deepfake crypto romance scam, arresting up to 27 perpetrators who had defrauded men out of $46 million.

Cryptocurrency scammers continue to use textbook tactics and sophisticated techniques. Romance scams pass as one of many approaches used to bait unsuspecting victims.

$46M Lost in Crypto Scam With Deepfake AI

Between August and September, Hong Kong police discovered a local scam group operating a well-organized fraud center in a Hung Hom industrial unit. The bad actors leveraged deepfake AI to execute a cross-border cryptocurrency-related romance scam, targeting men across Asia.

The 21 men and 6 women, aged between 21 and 34, were local university graduates majoring in digital media. These technology specialists collaborated with overseas fraudsters and IT experts to develop a fake crypto investment platform.

With this in place, they designed training manuals in Chinese and English to script fake romance stories. Leveraging AI-based “deepfake” technology, they held video chats with their male victims from mainland China, Taiwan, India, and Singapore, among other regions in Asia.

Read more: Crypto Social Media Scams: How to Stay Safe.

The deepfake AI ‘hooked’ the victims on appearances and voices, taking advantage of their emotional needs. The scripts and deepfake Ai made them believe they were establishing romantic relationships with highly desirable women.

“They even discussed future plans with the victims, creating a false sense of happiness to encourage them to continue investing,” Senior Superintendent Fang Chi-kin said.

On this account, the male victims made bogus cryptocurrency investments and ultimately discovered they could not withdraw the funds. The scammers’ operations stretch back to October 2023, managing to defraud victims out of HK$360 million (roughly $46 million).

In romance scams, otherwise termed pig-butchering swindles, perpetrators prey on the victim’s love or emotional interests to establish trust. Ultimately, they convince their victims to invest in fake crypto projects with the promise of lucrative returns. Eventually, they disappear with the money.

Artificial Intelligence Raises Deepfake Scams

Deepfake AI remains a prevalent tool among crypto scammers. The rise of AI is adding to the challenge, aiding perpetrators in executing more convincing schemes. Professor John Griffin from the University of Texas reported in a study that romance scams caused more than $75 billion in losses between January 2020 and February 2024. Based on the study, most of the perpetrators operated out of Southeast Asia.

Bitget Research recently reported a sharp rise in scams using deepfake technology, with malicious activities surging 245% in 2024 alone. Since 2022, these scams have caused losses amounting to $79.1 billion. One US citizen filed a lawsuit after losing $2.1 million in Bitcoin to a scheme run by a Southeast Asian crime syndicate.

In April, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Virtual Currency Unit dismantled a similar operation. Amid growing concerns, agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have issued warnings about the rise of cryptocurrency-related romance scams.

“No one thinks their online love interest is going to scam them, but scammers are good at what they do,” the FTC said.

Read more:  Crypto Scam Projects: How To Spot Fake Tokens.

Deepfake AI scams have extended beyond romance schemes. In June, a deepfake of Elon Musk made headlines during a five-hour livestream, where bad actors impersonated Musk at a Tesla event. Viewers were directed to deposit Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin on a fraudulent website. Similar scams, including fake SpaceX giveaways, have also surfaced on platforms like YouTube.

Disclaimer

In adherence to the Trust Project guidelines, BeInCrypto is committed to unbiased, transparent reporting. This news article aims to provide accurate, timely information. However, readers are advised to verify facts independently and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content. Please note that our Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.



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Can Support Prevent Further Losses?

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Este artículo también está disponible en español.

Ethereum price started a downside correction below the $3,250 zone. ETH is now consolidating near $3,000 and might attempt a fresh increase.

  • Ethereum started a short-term downside correction below the $3,250 zone.
  • The price is trading above $3,200 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average.
  • There is a connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance at $3,185 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD (data feed via Kraken).
  • The pair could start a fresh increase if it remains stable above the $3,000 zone.

Ethereum Price Hits Support

Ethereum price failed to extend gains above the $3,450 zone and started a downside correction like Bitcoin. ETH declined below the $3,320 and $3,250 support levels.

The bears even pushed the price below the $3,120 zone. It tested the $3,000 support zone. A low was formed at $3,031 and the price is now consolidating losses. It might soon test the 23.6% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $3,340 swing high to the $3,031 low.

Ethereum price is now trading below $3,200 and the 100-hourly Simple Moving Average. On the upside, the price seems to be facing hurdles near the $3,120 level.

The first major resistance is near the $3,200 level. There is also a connecting bearish trend line forming with resistance at $3,185 on the hourly chart of ETH/USD. The main resistance is now forming near $3,265 or the 76.4% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $3,340 swing high to the $3,031 low.

Ethereum Price
Source: ETHUSD on TradingView.com

A clear move above the $3,265 resistance might send the price toward the $3,320 resistance. An upside break above the $3,320 resistance might call for more gains in the coming sessions. In the stated case, Ether could rise toward the $3,450 resistance zone.

More Losses In ETH?

If Ethereum fails to clear the $3,200 resistance, it could continue to move down. Initial support on the downside is near the $3,040 level. The first major support sits near the $3,000 zone.

A clear move below the $3,000 support might push the price toward $2,950. Any more losses might send the price toward the $2,880 support level in the near term. The next key support sits at $2,740.

Technical Indicators

Hourly MACDThe MACD for ETH/USD is losing momentum in the bearish zone.

Hourly RSIThe RSI for ETH/USD is now below the 50 zone.

Major Support Level – $3,040

Major Resistance Level – $3,200



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Crypto fear and greed rises as investors turn to Vantard

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Crypto investors are increasingly greedy as Bitcoin and other meme coins continue their strong bull run. The crypto fear and greed index moved to the extreme greed zone of 85, a trend that could continue in the coming weeks. 

Bitcoin soared to over $93,000, solidifying it as the best-performing asset in the last 15 years. Similarly, Ethereum and Solana jumped to $3,200 and $215, respectively.

Meanwhile, investors turned to Vantard, one of the fastest-growing token sales of the year, which has raised almost $1 million in the past few weeks.

Donald Trump and the Federal Reserve

The main reasons why the crypto fear and greed index has moved to the green zone are Donald Trump and the Fed.

Donald Trump won last week’s election by a huge margin, making him the first crypto-friendly president in the United States. He owns crypto tokens worth over $6 million and is also raising money for the World Liberty Finance project. 

Therefore, Trump is expected to appoint regulators who are friendly to the crypto industry, which will be a breath of fresh air for an industry that has struggled under Gary Gensler. In his reign, Gensler has sued numerous companies like Ripple Labs, Immutable X, Uniswap, and Kraken.

The Federal Reserve has also contributed to the ongoing crypto rally. It has already slashed interest rates two times this year, and analysts expect it to continue the process. In most cases, risky assets like cryptocurrencies and stocks do well when the Fed is cutting rates.

Vantard token sale is thriving

The ongoing crypto bull run explains why investors are piling into Vantard, an upcoming crypto project that is raising money from investors.

Vantard is inspired by Vanguard, a company whose assets have surged to over $8 trillion in the past few decades. Its goal is to create the first meme coin index fund that tracks the best tokens in the industry.

This is a noble goal considering that meme coins are some of the best-performing assets this year. For example, Dogecoin has jumped by over 102% in the last seven days, while Pepe, Dogwifhat, Bonk, and Floki have soared by over 70% in the same period.

Analysts believe that meme coins will continue powering ahead in the coming months. In a statement today, Matthew Sigel of VanEck, predicted that Bitcoin would jump to $180,000 in 2025. His case is based on technicals and fundamentals, which he believes are strong. 

One of the top fundamentals is the ongoing Bitcoin ETF inflows. These funds now hold over $95 billion in assets, with the iShares Bitcoin ETF having over $42 billion

Therefore, if these predictions are accurate, it means that other meme coins will do well. In most cases, meme coins thrive when Bitcoin is in a strong momentum. You can buy the Vantard token here.



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Bitcoin (BTC) Struggles to Hold $90,000 Amid Profit-Taking

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Bitcoin (BTC) rallied past the $90,000 psychological barrier on November 12. That day, it briefly traded at a new all-time high of $93,265. However, as of this writing, the king coin trades at $87,757, having shed 6% of its value in the past two days. 

On-chain data has revealed that Bitcoin has since witnessed a pullback due to a spike in profit-taking activity, mostly by short-term holders. As these paper-handed investors scamper to lock in gains, the chances of the Bitcoin price at $90,000 in the near term appear increasingly slim.

Bitcoin Short-Term Holders Are Market Movers

BeInCrypto’s assessment of Bitcoin’s Spent Output Age Bands  (SOAB) offers insights into the activity of its holders. This metric categorizes Bitcoin Unspent Transaction Outputs (UTXOs) based on age and tracks their spending activity. Bitcoin UTXOs represent the amount of coins a user has available to spend and are tracked across the network as inputs for new transactions.

Analyzing BTC’s SOAB gives insights into market sentiment and potential price movements. For example, a spike in younger age bands often indicates increased trading activity and profit-taking by short-term holders (those who have held their coins for less than 30 days). This has played out in the BTC market since it first rallied above the $90,000 mark on Wednesday.

According to CryptoQuant’s data, Bitcoin holders who had held their coins for only a day transferred 1,146,151 BTC on that day—their highest level in two months. Holders with a holding period of one to seven days moved 135,950 BTC, while those holding between seven and 30 days transferred 32,021 BTC.

Bitcoin Spent Output Age Bands.
Bitcoin Spent Output Age Bands. Source: CryptoQuant

A surge in the spent output of coin holders with less than a month of holding time typically signals that newer, short-term investors are selling or moving their BTC. This indicates increased profit-taking or reduced confidence among recent buyers, often adding selling pressure and contributing to short-term price volatility

Long-Term Holders Steadies the Boat

Notably, Bitcoin’s long-term holders, who have kept their coins for over 12 months, have taken a different approach. Although there have been some coin movements, they remain relatively minimal.

Bitcoin Spent Output Age Bands.
Bitcoin Spent Output Age Bands. Source: CryptoQuant

This suggests that since Bitcoin’s rally to $90,000, the price fluctuations have been largely driven by short-term holders eager to lock in quick gains.

BTC Price Prediction: What To Look Out For

Short-term holders hold a significant portion of Bitcoin’s circulating supply. As such, a sustained spike in selling activity from that class of investors can put downward pressure on the coin’s price. BTC may fall further from the $90,000 mark if it continues to sell.

According to readings from the coin’s Fibonacci Retracement tool, should this play out, BTC’s next price target is $83,792. If this level fails to hold as support, BTC may slip under the $80,000 mark to trade at $76,356.

Bitcoin Price Analysis
Bitcoin Price Analysis. Source: TradingView

However, if the short-term holders refrain from selling, this bearish projection will be invalidated. This will increase the likelihood of the Bitcoin price soaring above $90,000. It may reclaim its all-time high of $93,256 and even attempt to rally toward the $100,000 milestone. 

Disclaimer

In line with the Trust Project guidelines, this price analysis article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. BeInCrypto is committed to accurate, unbiased reporting, but market conditions are subject to change without notice. Always conduct your own research and consult with a professional before making any financial decisions. Please note that our Terms and ConditionsPrivacy Policy, and Disclaimers have been updated.



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