CZ Issues Urgent Warning After Crypto Influencer Falls Victim to Deepfake Zoom Hack

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Anas Hassan

Crypto Journalist

Anas Hassan

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Anas is a crypto native journalist and SEO writer with over five years of writing experience covering blockchain, crypto, DeFi, and emerging tech.

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June 20, 2025

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Former Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has issued an urgent warning advising users against installing software from unofficial sources, citing the growing threat of artificial intelligence-powered deepfake Zoom attacks targeting the crypto community.

The warning follows a sophisticated deepfake scam that victimized Japanese crypto influencer Mai Fujimoto, widely known as “Miss Bitcoin.”

Deepfake Scammers Target Crypto Elite — Here’s How They Strike

According to a detailed June 19 post on X, Fujimoto revealed that the incident began after her social media account was compromised on June 14. Despite multiple reports to the platform, her account remained active, leaving her vulnerable to the subsequent attack.

The scam unfolded during what appeared to be a routine video call with an acquaintance. Fujimoto unknowingly remained in a Zoom session with a deepfake impersonation after the acquaintance’s Telegram account had been compromised before the call was arranged.

“When I opened the Zoom link, her face appeared, so I didn’t suspect anything,” Fujimoto explained. The deception continued when she encountered audio problems.

For approximately 10 minutes, Fujimoto interacted with what she believed was her acquaintance, unaware she was communicating with an AI-generated impersonation. The attack ultimately compromised her MetaMask cryptocurrency wallets.

“If I had known about this type of deepfake scam, I might not have clicked the link,” Fujimoto reflected.

She now warns others:

Warning: Your Next Zoom Call Could Drain Your Crypto Wallet

The attack follows an established pattern, as evidenced by a similar incident involving Mehdi Farooq, former investment partner at Animoca Brands. Farooq’s ordeal began with a Telegram message from Alex Lin, someone he knew personally who expressed interest in reconnecting.

After scheduling a meeting, Lin requested switching to Zoom Business for “compliance reasons,” claiming a mutual acquaintance would join. “Given that we were conducting numerous treasury deals, the request didn’t seem unusual,” Farooq explained.

Like Fujimoto, Farooq encountered audio issues during the call. The apparent participants directed him to update his Zoom software to resolve the problem.

The result was devastating as six crypto wallets were drained, and his laptop was compromised entirely. “Years of savings disappeared in minutes,” Farooq stated, later discovering that Lin’s account had been hacked.

White-hat hackers identified the underlying threat as “dangerouspassword,” reportedly affiliated with North Korean cybercriminal groups.

$140K Lost in Minutes: How AI Deepfakes Are Draining Crypto Wallets

The deepfake threat extends beyond individual victims. Steven Bartlett, co-founder of Third Web and SpaceX investor, highlighted the broader implications by referencing an incident involving Martin Lewis, founder of Money Saving Expert, whose likeness was used in deepfake advertisements that defrauded a viewer of £140,000.

“The crypto industry and digital space are only at the beginning of the deepfake era,” Bartlett warned. He reported receiving thousands of messages flagging AI-generated videos and paid advertisements using his image across social platforms.

“These aren’t ordinary posts—they’re promoted advertisements boosted through Facebook, X, and YouTube’s advertising systems,” Bartlett observed, criticizing platforms for accepting payment from scammers targeting vulnerable users.

The Escalating Threat of Crypto Hacks

Recent industry research from Bitget revealed that during the first quarter of 2025 alone, authorities dismantled at least 87 AI-driven scam operations.

Countries including China, Germany, Ukraine, the United States, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom experienced the highest concentration of deepfake-related attacks.

Bitget CEO Gracy Chen characterized the threat’s severity:

Anti-fraud agencies worldwide are mobilizing responses. On June 17, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre issued an alert about rising deepfake prevalence, specifically noting fraudulent videos featuring public figures promoting cryptocurrency investment fraud.

Security experts recommend a multi-layered approach by verifying all links before clicking, avoiding suspicious downloads, and maintaining awareness of current scam techniques. Organizations should implement stronger security defenses and cultivate a “verify before trust” culture.