AI-Powered Scams
Deepfake Video Scam
AI-generated videos impersonating celebrities, executives, or trusted figures to promote fake investments, crypto scams, or giveaways.
Reported Losses
Part of $4.6 billion in investment fraud (2024)
Primary Targets
Social media users, investors, crypto enthusiasts
Last Updated
2026-01-06
Also Known As
Celebrity Endorsement Scam
How Scammers Contact You
How This Scam Works
AI technology can now create convincing fake videos of anyone, making it appear they're saying things they never said.
**Common uses:** 1. **Fake Celebrity Endorsements**: Elon Musk "promoting" a crypto giveaway 2. **Fake CEO Messages**: A company executive announcing a partnership or dividend 3. **Political Manipulation**: Fake speeches or statements 4. **Fake News Anchors**: AI-generated "journalists" promoting scams 5. **Romance Scam Enhancement**: Video "proof" the person is real
**How to spot deepfakes:** - Unnatural blinking or eye movement - Fuzzy borders around the face - Odd lighting or shadows - Audio doesn't quite sync with lip movements - Strange hand movements or gestures
Red Flags to Watch For
- ⚠️Too-good-to-be-true investment opportunity endorsed by celebrity
- ⚠️Request to send crypto to "double your money"
- ⚠️Video quality is slightly off — fuzzy edges, odd movements
- ⚠️Audio doesn't quite match lip movements
- ⚠️Endorsement isn't mentioned on the person's official accounts
- ⚠️Link goes to unfamiliar website, not official company
- ⚠️Urgency — "Limited time offer"
📝 Real Victim Account
"I saw a video on Facebook of Elon Musk saying Tesla was giving away Bitcoin — just send some first to verify your wallet. It looked exactly like him. I sent 0.5 Bitcoin ($20,000) to get 1 Bitcoin back. I got nothing. The video was completely AI-generated."
— CNBC Report on Deepfake Scams
How to Protect Yourself
- 1Verify any endorsement on the celebrity's official channels
- 2No legitimate company or person will ask you to send crypto first
- 3Look closely at the video for unnatural movements
- 4Don't trust video alone as proof of identity
- 5Research any investment opportunity independently
- 6Be especially skeptical of crypto "giveaways"
🆘 What to Do If You're a Victim
- 1Stop all investment immediately
- 2Do not send any more money or crypto
- 3Report the video to the social media platform
- 4Report to FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- 5Report crypto scams to FBI IC3 at ic3.gov
- 6Be aware of recovery scams targeting victims
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📚 Sources & References
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