How it works
The video
A famous person, a journalist, or even your boss appears to recommend an investment or ask for a payment.1
The link
The video leads to a fake news page or a sign-up form.
The call
An “adviser” calls you back within hours.
How AI makes it worse
In 2024 an employee at engineering firm Arup paid out about $25 million after a video call in which the “colleagues” were deepfakes.2
What the evidence says
- People cannot reliably tell AI-generated faces from real ones, and rate them as more trustworthy.3
Warning signs
- A celebrity “secret” or “what the banks don’t want you to know”.
- The video appears only in ads, not on the person’s official accounts.
- Don’t rely on spotting glitches. Good fakes have none.
Protect yourself
- Famous people do not sell investments in ads.
- Check the person’s official website or verified account.
- At work, confirm any payment request through a second, known channel.
See a demonstration
Demonstration coming soon
How a deepfake video is used
A consented example, with what to check before you trust a video.
Demonstration coming soon
Real or AI? The face game
Can you tell real faces from AI-made ones? Most people can’t.
Advice on this page follows official guidance from the sources below.