Deepfakes are artificial intelligence-generated videos, audio, and images, that are meticulously crafted to appear genuine, blurring the line between reality and deception. With the possibility of spreading misinformation, defaming individuals, and manipulating public opinion, deepfakes are an emerging concern in the age of AI. As the technology continues to improve, it will be increasingly challenging to discern what is real and what is fake. To avoid falling victim, it’s crucial to be vigilant, skeptical, and educated on the signs of deepfakes.
What is a deepfake?
A deepfake looks real, but is a video, audio, or image that is created using artificial intelligence (AI). They’re often used to spread misinformation, defame individuals, or manipulate the public. With the increasing sophistication of deepfake technology, it has become challenging to distinguish between real and fake content. It is important to understand deepfakes, how they work, and the potential harm they can cause.
Deepfakes work by using machine learning to analyze and manipulate existing videos, images, and audio recordings, to create a new, altered version that looks and sounds authentic. They can be incredibly convincing, making it hard for the average viewer to figure out the difference between real and fake content. These realistic forgeries can be used to spread misinformation and to trick people into believing something is real. This could take the form of political propaganda, posing a threat to national security. Increasingly, it’s being used to convince individuals they are talking to an authority or friend to take some action that ultimately results in financial fraud. This might include a friend or celebrity appearing to endorse a product or encourage an investment in something like cryptocurrency. In other instances, fraudsters have used deepfakes to appear as though someone’s boss or CEO needs something from them, or the CFO wants them to transfer a large sum of money.
To avoid getting duped by a deepfake, it is important to be vigilant and skeptical of online content. One way to do this is by verifying the source of the content and cross-checking it with reliable sources. Additionally, paying attention to details such as unnatural facial expressions or inconsistencies can help you spot potential deepfakes.
Tips to Help Spot a Deepfake
With the advancement of deepfake technology, it’s increasingly difficult for the average person to discern what is real and what is fake. However, several signs can help you identify a deepfake. One of the first signs within a deepfake video is that the movements of the person’s lips and the audio don’t match, or that the speech doesn’t sync to mouth movements. Additionally, unnatural or glitchy movements, especially around the eyes and mouth, can also indicate the video is a deepfake. Pay attention to inconsistencies in facial expressions and movements, as deepfakes often struggle to accurately replicate natural human behavior. Look for unnatural blurring or distortion around the edges of the face or body, as this can be a telltale sign of digital manipulation. Another red flag to watch out for is an unusually static background or strange lighting that doesn’t match the surroundings. Inconsistencies in lighting and shadows can be a sign of a digitally manipulated video. Additionally, if the video seems too good to be true, or shows a person doing or saying something completely out of character, it’s important to approach it with skepticism.
Without the video, deepfake audio can be even tougher to spot. You have to listen carefully for glitches, abnormal background noises, or changes in audio quality. Also, pay attention to the speaker’s voice to listen for weird speaking patterns, such as it being robotic or off-key. Deepfake audio might contain pauses or breaks in speech that are unnatural. Finally, consider the context of the audio to see if the content seems unusual or out of character for the speaker. If you’re suspicious, or still not sure, you can detect deepfake audio with Resemble.ai. Familiarize yourself with these signs of deepfake video and audio to better protect yourself from falling victim to a deepfake.
Examples of Deepfake Scams and Fraud
Falling for a deepfake can have serious consequences, both personally and professionally. The impact can be far-reaching and long-lasting, making it crucial to understand how to avoid being duped by these convincing, but deceptive digital manipulations. Deepfakes have already been used in various scams and fraud. Here are some notable examples:
Company Executive fraud: Scammers have used deepfakes to mimic the voice or image of a company’s CEO, CFO, or other high-ranking executive. They then contact employees, often through email or phone, requesting urgent financial transfers or confidential information. In 2019, a UK energy company lost $243,000 through this type of scam. The Chief Communications Officer of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, claimed in 2022, that scammers created an AI hologram of him. The CEO of cryptocurrency exchange Ripple also warned of an increasing number of deepfake videos impersonating him in 2023. In 2024, a finance worker at a multinational firm was tricked into paying out $25 million to fraudsters using deepfake technology to pose as the company’s chief financial officer in a video conference call,
Investment scams: In addition to executives of cryptocurrency companies being impersonated using deepfakes, the technology is also being used to create fake videos of celebrities or financial experts endorsing fraudulent crypto and investment schemes. These videos are often shared on social media platforms to lure unsuspecting victims.
Fake advertising and endorsements: Scammers are using deepfake video and audio to make it sound like celebrities, such as Youtuber Mr. Beast, or former President Trump are endorsing products or organizations. These scammers are trying to leverage the credibility of these individuals to sell or make you believe something. Unfortunately, these are increasingly appearing alongside legitimate advertising on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and other social media.
Political interference: Deepfakes are also being used to spread misinformation or attempt to damage the reputation of political figures. Both foreign and domestic groups are using deepfakes of political figures, such as President Biden or former President Trump to undermine democracy and sow discord among the public.
Romance scams: Deepfake videos and audio are also being used to create fake online identities. Scammers are using these identities to build trust with victims and eventually extort money from them. Learn more about how romance scams work here. Using this technology, a romance scammer can be a man or woman and make their scam even more convincing to susceptible victims.
Identity theft: Scammers are increasingly using compromised social media accounts to trick the family and friends of individuals. They will use the victim’s social media account, along with deepfake video and audio, to make it look like the person needs help, asking friends and family to support them by sending money to an account controlled by the scammer. Other social media deepfake scams make it appear as if the person has experienced a financial windfall by investing in cryptocurrencies – encouraging family and friends to contact them to find out how they can invest. In more advanced instances of fraud, scammers use deepfakes to create fake IDs or passports, which can then be used to commit financial crimes or gain unauthorized access to facilities.
Extortion: Deepfakes are also being used to create compromising videos or images of individuals. Scammers will use pictures, videos, and audio posted by individuals on social media to make it appear as if they did something inappropriate. Then the scammer will threaten to release these videos or images unless the victim pays them money.
Grandparent Scams: Victims are receiving calls from scammers using deepfake technology to make it sound or look like its coming from the grandchild. They usually claim they are in serious trouble – such as needing bail, medical care, or legal fees – and they discourage the victim from contacting other family members. The grandchild usually pleads for the grandparent to “not tell my parents.”
These are just a few examples of how deepfakes have been used for scams and fraud. As technology continues to develop, we can expect to see even more sophisticated and dangerous applications in the future.
Protecting yourself from deepfakes
Deepfake technology continues to become increasingly sophisticated, making it more difficult for people to discern between real and manipulated media. To avoid being duped by a deepfake, there are a few things you can do. First, it’s important to verify the source of the media before believing its content. Double-checking the authenticity of the source can help determine whether the video has been altered or not. This is especially important to do before sharing media with others. Be especially skeptical of controversial content of something that is trying to sell you something or encourage you to support a particular point of view. Staying on top of the latest developments in deepfake technology and detection tools can give you a better sense of how to spot manipulated or fake media.
In addition to avoiding being duped by a deepfake, there are also several steps you can do to avoid having deepfake technology being used against you. The most obvious is limiting public access to your image and voice via social media. Scammers have used oversharing on social media to create more sophisticated scams and phishing, but with access to your image and voice, they can steal your identity and impersonate you more easily. Also, be sure to create strong, unique passwords for your social media accounts to prevent scammers from leveraging your accounts to spread deepfakes. By staying cautious and informed, you can protect yourself, your family, and your friends from falling victim to deepfake deceptions.
Deepfake Threats in the Age of AI
Deepfakes pose a significant threat as AI technologies continue to get better and become more accessible. These AI-generated videos, images, and audio recordings will only get increasingly sophisticated, and more challenging to determine what is real versus fake content. The consequences of falling for a deepfake can be severe, impacting personal relationships, reputations, pocketbooks, and even national security. However, there are steps we can take to protect ourselves. By being vigilant, verifying sources, and paying attention to details, we can increase our ability to identify and avoid falling victim to deepfakes. It is crucial to stay informed about the latest deepfake detections and approach sensational, emotional, or persuasive content with skepticism. Together, we can fight against deepfakes and safeguard our family and friends from the dangers of deepfakes.