It’s no secret that Elon Musk shapes the X social platform and X’s “maximally truth-seeking” Grok AI chatbot to his preferences. But it’s possible Musk may have needed a bit of an extra ego boost this week, because Grok’s worship of its creator seems, shall we say, more noticeable than usual.

As a number of people have pointed out on social media over the past day, Grok’s public-facing chatbot is currently prone to insisting on Musk’s prowess at absolutely anything, no matter how unlikely — or conversely, embarrassing — a given feat is.

If pressed, Grok will also contend Musk would be the best at eating poop or drinking urine, but it would prefer to focus on how good he is at making rockets, please. At least some of these posts have been deleted in the past hour; X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the phenomenon from The Verge.

This glazing appears to be exclusive to the X version of Grok; when I asked the private chatbot to compare Musk with James, it conceded, “LeBron James has a significantly better physique than Elon Musk.” The GitHub page for Grok’s system prompts indicates they were updated three days ago, with the additions including a prohibition on “snarky one-liners” and instructions not to base responses on “any beliefs stated in past Grok posts or by Elon Musk or xAI,” but there’s nothing that seems to clearly explain this new behavior — although system prompts are only one way to shape how AI systems work.

Either way, this is far from the weirdest Grok has gotten, and it’s less disruptive than the bot’s brief obsession with “white genocide” or its intense antisemitism — which, incidentally, is still flaring up in the form of Holocaust denial. Grok has previously searched for Musk’s opinion to formulate its own answers, so even the preoccupation with Musk isn’t new. But it reminds us all what a weirdly intimate connection Grok — a product that’s been rolled out across the US government, among other places — has with its owner, and how randomly that connection is prone to appear.

Selling your car online should be simple. Lately, though, more sellers are running into fake “vehicle report” demands from so-called buyers. The pitch looks routine, yet it leads straight to a payment page on a site you don’t know. 

We heard from Nick K. of Washington, who spotted the pattern in real time.

“In trying to sell a car, it has become apparent that there is a scam related to CarFax-type reports,” Nick wrote in an email to us. “The way it works is a guy texts or emails saying they are interested in your car, but they say they must have a car report from a specific service. At first, I thought it was just a way for a guy to sell more reports, but after thinking about it for a while, it seems like it could be a great way to harvest credit card numbers, etc. I have not been a victim of this, but in the course of selling a car recently, I had several instances of this. There are several warning signs: ‘Will you accept cash?’ Questions indicating they have not read the ad. Offering more than the ad asks for. Short nonsensical first contact. These are just the usual signs I am looking for when I am trying to decide if someone responding to a Craigslist or FB ad is legit.”

Nick’s instincts are spot on. This Craigslist car report scam has been spreading across Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and other online classifieds.

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How the Craigslist car report scam works

This scam often starts with a message that looks completely normal. A supposed buyer texts asking something like, “1985 F150 Available?” and quickly follows up with friendly but vague questions such as, “OK, I’m interested in seeing it. When and where would be good for you?”

Once you respond, the “buyer” develops just enough rapport to sound legitimate. Then comes the setup. The “buyer” says he is serious about purchasing but wants to see a detailed ASR report first, something most sellers have never heard of.

That’s exactly what happened to Nick K. After he shared the Craigslist link and vehicle details, the fake buyer sent this reply:

“Auto Smart Report, here’s the link you can get the papers from. Oh, I forgot to ask for your name? I’m Richard. Will you accept a cash payment? Let me know.”

It sounds harmless, even reassuring. But the scam hinges on getting you to click that link. The site looks professional, promising a “Complete Vehicle History at Your Fingertips.” Yet once you enter your information, you’re not buying a report; you’re handing over your credit card details and personal data to criminals.

When the seller, in this case, pushed back, the scammer doubled down with more pressure tactics.

“If you can show me the Auto Smart Report, that would be great, as it’s the most reliable and complete report. My offer to you is $7,000. I have no issue with that.” Notice the scammer just increased the amount that he is willing to pay for the vehicle by $500.

They’ll say anything to keep you engaged and make the transaction sound routine. But the moment you pay for the fake report, the buyer disappears. His only goal is to harvest your financial information, not purchase your vehicle.

INSIDE A SCAMMER’S DAY AND HOW THEY TARGET YOU

Warning signs to watch for

• Requests for unknown report names like “ASR”
• Messages that ignore your ad details
• Offers above your asking price
• Phrases like “will you accept cash?” or “I just need to see a report first”
• Demands for a specific site instead of accepting a Carfax, AutoCheck or NMVTIS report
• Generic greetings like “dear,” “brother” or “friend”

If you see two or more of these at once, treat the lead as suspicious.

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How to stay safe from Craigslist car report scams

Even the most convincing buyer could turn out to be a scammer, but these smart moves can help you stay safe, protect your money and keep your personal data out of the wrong hands.

1) Do not click buyer-sent links, and use strong antivirus software

Avoid clicking any link sent through text, email or messaging apps. These often lead to phishing sites or hidden malware downloads. Keep your devices protected with strong antivirus software. Run regular scans and keep your software updated to block new threats.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

2) Never enter payment info on unfamiliar sites

If a buyer insists you use a website you’ve never heard of, stop immediately. Always verify a site’s legitimacy before sharing any financial or personal details.

3) Use a data removal service

Consider a data removal service to remove your personal details from data broker sites. This limits how easily scammers can find and target you.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

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4) Use trusted report services

Stick to established names like Carfax, AutoCheck or NMVTIS. These are widely recognized and accepted by real buyers.

5) Share your VIN in the ad

Including your vehicle’s VIN lets genuine buyers run their own reports safely without needing your involvement.

6) Block and report scammers

Report suspicious messages directly to the platform and to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Sharing details helps others stay safe.

7) If you paid on a fake site

Contact your bank right away, cancel the card and monitor your account for unauthorized charges. Quick action can prevent further loss.

8) Meet smart and stay cautious

When meeting a buyer, choose a public place with security cameras. Bring a friend, keep your phone charged and document all communication.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

This scam works because a vehicle report sounds routine. A fake buyer pushes you to a site you’ve never heard of, then applies pressure to act fast. Slow down, verify and stick to well-known services. Real buyers will accept a report you provide or will run one themselves. You can still sell safely on marketplaces by following a few simple rules. Control the process, choose the report source and avoid links sent by strangers. Thanks to readers like Nick, more sellers can spot the trap before any money or data is at risk.

Have you seen buyers pushing odd report sites when you sell online? What tipped you off first?  Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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