Guelph woman who thought she spoke to YouTube star Mr. Beast lost $14K in crypto scam: Police
Guelph woman who thought she spoke to YouTube star Mr. Beast lost $14K in crypto scam: Police
Publish Date: 2026-05-07 09:22:00
Source Domain: www.cbc.ca
- A woman in Guelph, Ont., lost $14,000 after being scammed through a social media ad that falsely claimed to be endorsed by YouTube creator Mr. Beast.
- The scam involved the woman initially paying $250 to join an investment opportunity and then handing over more money as the scam progressed, including a phone call that appeared to come from Mr. Beast.
- Police are warning residents to be cautious of any communication that urges immediate action or appears to come from a celebrity, especially as deepfake AI technology is increasingly used to replicate endorsements.
- Mr. Beast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, has publicly addressed deepfake AI scams involving his likeness, labeling it as a serious problem.
- Victims of this or similar cyber fraud are advised to report incidents to the police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
