A Taranaki grandmother, Jill Creasy, has fallen victim to a devastating cryptocurrency scam, losing her entire life savings of $224,000 after being deceived by a sophisticated AI-generated deepfake video. The video, which featured Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, falsely encouraged pensioners to invest in Bitcoin, leading Creasy to believe her money was safe.
The realistic-looking video appeared on Facebook in July, showing Luxon supposedly endorsing cryptocurrency investments for pensioners looking to supplement their income. Unbeknownst to Creasy, the video was a deepfake created by scammers, using advanced AI technology to manipulate the appearance of trusted figures.
In addition to Luxon, the scammers also used deepfake videos of TVNZ broadcaster Jenny May Clarkson and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters, prompting a public scam warning from the Financial Markets Authority just weeks later. Creasy, however, had already responded to the fake ad and was soon contacted by a man named Adam Manolas, who claimed to be an investment adviser for Terma Group, based in Manchester.
Under the pretense of helping her invest, Manolas convinced Creasy to install software called AnyDesk, giving him remote access to her computer. Over the course of 26 days, Creasy watched helplessly as her savings and inheritance were transferred to cryptocurrency accounts controlled by the scammers. Manolas used her email to set up accounts with crypto platforms like Easy Crypto and Binance, from where the funds were transferred out of her control.
Most of the payments were for $20,000, the daily transfer limit with her bank, TSB. By the time Creasy realized she had been scammed, it was too late. Not only had her savings been drained, but even funds she had set aside for her grandchildren were stolen.
“I was promised an 8.5% return,” Creasy said, explaining how the scammers lured her in. She was led to believe her investment had grown to nearly $320,000, but when her first dividend payment failed to materialize, the reality of the situation set in.
In an email to the scammers, Creasy expressed her anger, writing: “Evil will come to you. You told me you are known as ‘Money Manolas.’ Are you a thief? If you entrusted me with your money, I would pay you back when you asked for it. I hope your 74-year-old mother is safe from predators like you.”
The emotional toll has been devastating for Creasy, who admitted feeling “angry, foolish, and ashamed” after the ordeal. “It’s a terrible feeling because you can’t really believe it,” she said.
Despite warnings from both TSB and Easy Crypto about suspicious transactions, Creasy was so convinced by the scam that she verified the payments as legitimate. A computer expert who later helped Creasy uncover the scam tracked her stolen Bitcoin to a Binance holding account, which was receiving nearly $3 million a day and contained nearly $1 billion in cryptocurrency. The expert suspects the account is connected to other victims.
Creasy has since reported the scam to the police, but recovering her money appears unlikely. Authorities have told her that by allowing remote access to her computer and authorizing the transactions, she enabled the scam.
“I won’t let it rest,” Creasy declared, frustrated with the lack of accountability. “Somebody is making a living out of dishonesty.”
The Prime Minister’s office confirmed that Luxon had no involvement in the scam and would never endorse any particular investment. A spokesperson urged the public to be vigilant and warned against sharing personal information or granting remote access to unknown parties.
The scam has highlighted the growing danger of deepfake technology and the ease with which scammers can manipulate their targets. Creasy’s story serves as a cautionary tale for others, especially vulnerable individuals, to remain cautious and skeptical of unsolicited investment offers online.
TSB has since frozen Creasy’s accounts and urged customers to avoid sharing sensitive information with third parties. Despite efforts to trace the stolen funds, the scammers remain at large, and Creasy’s retirement nest egg is gone.
Police investigations into the case are ongoing.
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