Deepfake Anthony Albanese used in celebrity scams duping Australians out of $7.4m, Asic warns
Summary
Australia’s corporate watchdog, ASIC, warns that scammers are using deepfake videos of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other celebrities to trick people into fake investment schemes. Australians have lost $7.4 million to these scams, which often use convincing fake websites, videos, and fake promises of high returns.Key Facts
- Scammers use deepfake technology to create fake videos of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promoting false investment opportunities.
- ASIC handled over 19,400 scam reports last financial year, nearly three times more than the previous year.
- Australians lost $7.4 million to scams involving the top 10 impersonated public figures, with Albanese the most impersonated.
- Scammers create networks of fake brands, websites, reviews, and news to appear trustworthy and steal money.
- ASIC removed thousands of phishing links, fake investment sites, and cryptocurrency scams, all increasing significantly.
- Deepfake videos often promise unrealistic returns, like earning $40,000 a month from a $4,000 investment.
- Scamwatch advises people to verify companies’ legitimacy and report scams to banks or cyber security agencies.
- Research shows most Australians are overconfident about spotting AI scams, catching less than half of them in reality.
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