Gizmodo filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the FTC to get complaints sent to the federal agency about crypto scams that pretend to be affiliated with Musk. We obtained 247 complaints, all filed between Feb. and Oct. of this year, and they’re filled with stories of people who believed they were watching ads for authentic crypto investments sanctioned by Musk on social media.

The ads sometimes featured the names of Musk’s various companies, like SpaceX, Tesla, and X, while other times they utilized Musk’s association with neo-fascist presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Some people in the complaints believed they were talking directly with Musk, a sadly common story that has popped up in news reports before. But they weren’t talking with Musk, of course. They were communicating with scammers engaging in what’s called pig butchering—the name for a type of fraud popularized in the mid-2010s where scammers extract as much money as possible through flattery and promises of tremendous profits if the victim just “invests” where they’re told.

    • @[email protected]
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      6523 days ago

      Who taught this Tardigrade to play the Cello? Its all wrong. He’s not going to get any notes out of it playing it under the bridge.

      • chingadera
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        4023 days ago

        He’s doing the best he can, show a little respect.

    • @TriflingToad
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      1022 days ago

      I want a water bear as a pet so bad but the fact that they’re microscopic might be an issue

      • @[email protected]
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        622 days ago

        the fact that they’re microscopic might be an issue

        Why? All that means is you may already have one without knowing it.