Celebs at risk: Deepfake scams exploit star power online
Actors, politicians, singers, and other well-known individuals frequently have their images used without permission in fraudulent campaigns by scammers. Using technology such as deepfake, these fraudsters produce fabricated videos and posts where they impersonate celebrities to persuade people to invest.
Although such actions are illegal, unfortunately, practice shows they can be effective. Recently, we reported on a 31-year-old woman from Krakow who, after communicating with a stranger via a messaging service, believed he was a famous singer and eventually transferred tens of thousands of pounds to him. More commonly, however, are fabricated advertisements, often concerning cryptocurrency investments. Scammers use the images of famous individuals for these ads.
Companies like McAfee, which publishes an annual report on the subject, are investigating the issue of using celebrities' images for online scams. This report, among other things, reveals which celebrities most frequently appear in these fabricated materials. This knowledge can help draw additional attention from audiences who might approach some advertisements with scepticism. The post's content might be fabricated even if a favourite celebrity is visible in the photo.
According to the latest report from McAfee, the celebrities most commonly used in fake online materials are:
- Scarlett Johansson
- Kylie Jenner
- Taylor Swift
- Anya Taylor-Joy
- Tom Hanks
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Sydney Sweeney
- Blake Lively
- Johnny Depp
- Addison Rae
As always, in such cases, we remind you not to automatically believe everything you see online. In particular, be wary of investment offers that promise easy profit and feature a famous person's face; it is essential to assume the advertisement might be fabricated. If you genuinely want to take advantage of an investment opportunity, it is crucial to thoroughly analyse whether it is credible and to approach any financial decisions consciously, without being influenced by others' opinions.
