Deepfake Scams Are on the Rise: Here’s How to Protect Yourself

The technology behind AI-generated media, known as deepfakes, has advanced at a terrifying pace. What started as a niche hobby has now become a powerful tool for scammers. From fake celebrity endorsements to voice clones of family members in distress, deepfake scams are becoming more common and harder to detect than traditional methods like the ones in our phishing email guide.

What Are Deepfake Scams?

Deepfake scams use artificial intelligence to create fake video or audio recordings that look and sound authentic. Scammers can use a few seconds of a person's real voice or a handful of photos to create a digital clone that can be made to say or do anything. Common types of scams include:

• The "Emergency" Call: A scammer uses a voice clone of a loved one to call you, claiming they are in trouble and need money urgently.
• Fake CEO Fraud: An employee receives a video call from what appears to be their CEO, instructing them to make an urgent, unauthorized money transfer.
• Misinformation and Blackmail: Scammers create compromising videos or audio of a person to damage their reputation or extort money.

How to Spot a Deepfake

While deepfakes are getting better, there are still tell-tale signs to look for:

1. Unnatural Eye Movement: Watch the eyes. Deepfakes often struggle with realistic blinking and eye movement.
2. Awkward Pacing in Speech: Listen for an unnatural rhythm, strange pauses, or a robotic tone in audio deepfakes.
3. Mismatched Audio/Video Sync: Look closely to see if the person's lip movements perfectly match the audio.
4. Strange Blurring or Artifacts: Look for odd blurring or distortion, especially around the edges of the face or where the face meets the hair and neck.