Deepfakes are the latest tool in the con artist's bag of tricks. They’re able to create convincing videos of people saying and doing things they never actually did, and now scammers are using deepfakes to deceive and defraud unsuspecting victims on social media. We look at some of the most popular social media deepfake scams and how to avoid falling victim. 

Celebrity impersonation  

One of the most common ways scammers use deepfakes is to impersonate celebrities. They create videos of the celebrity endorsing a product or asking for money and may even create a fake social media account for the celebrity and use that to scam people. Due to the nature of social media, A-list actors or high-profile celebrities aren’t the only potential victims of identity theft. Scammers will also impersonate influencers and convince loyal followers to buy into ludicrous business opportunities. 

Profile hacking 

Not only are celebrities open to being hacked – but the average person in the street can now also fall victim to identity theft. Many times people are locked out of their social media accounts only to discover that the hacker has sent deepfake videos of them to their followers, tempting them to invest in crypto or Bitcoin mining. By targeting ordinary members of the public and reaching out to their connections, scammers use the victim’s already-established relationships to con friends and family members.  

Dating scams 

Deepfakes are also being used in dating scams. Scammers create fake profiles on dating websites and use deepfake videos to trick people into thinking they’re talking to a real person. This takes catfishing to a completely new level, as scammers build romantic relationships with their victims and establish a level of trust before starting to ask for small favours or items of monetary value.  

Charity scams 

Deepfake charity donation scams involve making deepfake videos of well-known figures or charity spokespeople asking for donations to a specific charity. The scammer then shares the video on social media, often with a call to action to click a link or enter personal information in order to make a donation. They may also use emotional language and images to tug at the viewer’s heartstrings to further persuade them to donate. Even if the scammer isn’t able to convince a user to make a donation, the “charity link” in question will still redirect them to a phishing website or a site that instals malware on the user's device. 

How to spot deepfakes 

Spotting deepfakes can be challenging, but here are some telltale signs to look out for: 

• A lack of natural movement or blinking  

• Lower-than-normal overall video quality with pixelation, or other visual anomalies 

• Mismatched or inconsistent audio compared to the video 

It’s also good to look at the context of the video – if it looks or sounds too good to be true, or if it's trying to push a particular agenda, it could be a deepfake. Don’t click on anything, don’t share, and report it if you find it on a particular platform you’re visiting.  

For a wider range of articles to broaden your knowledge of the dangers prevalent online, check out our digital fraud overview.