May 22, 2025
It all started pretty simply. Back in the early days of the internet, scammers figured out that pretending to be someone else could be a quick way to make money. Remember the old “Nigerian Prince” email scam? A fake royal asking for help moving millions of dollars in exchange for a cut of the fortune? It was laughable in hindsight, but at the time, it worked—really well.
Fast forward to today, and the game has changed completely. Thanks to AI and deepfake technology, pretending to be someone else has become disturbingly easy—and incredibly convincing.
Deepfake Video & Image Impersonation
We’ve always believed in the idea that “seeing is believing.” That’s what makes video and image deepfakes so dangerous. These aren’t just edited photos or silly face swaps—they’re full-blown synthetic creations that can make someone look and sound like they’re doing or saying something they never did.
Now imagine this: You get a video message from your company’s CEO asking you to send an urgent wire transfer. Everything checks out—the voice, the mannerisms, even the background looks legit. But it’s all fake.
Or you see a photo online of a public figure in a controversial situation. It goes viral, causes outrage—and turns out to be completely manufactured.
These are no longer “what if” scenarios. This is happening now. And the tools to create these fakes? They’re getting better, faster, and easier to use by the day.
Bypassing Security with Deepfakes
Here’s where things get really concerning: deepfakes aren’t just fooling people—they’re starting to fool machines, too.
Many social media platforms and financial institutions rely on something called “liveness detection” to make sure the person on the other side of the screen is real. That usually means showing your face on a live video, submitting ID, and allowing the system to check your location.
But threat actors are finding ways around it. On underground forums and in Telegram groups, there are step-by-step guides on how to fake your way through identity checks. Using AI-generated videos, virtual webcam tools, stolen images, and even custom code, scammers can trick systems into verifying a completely fake person.
Why? To open crypto accounts that are nearly impossible to trace. To commit fraud. Or simply to vanish into the digital ether.
The 3 A.M. Scam Call That Sounds Just Like Your Loved One
Let’s make this personal. Picture this: it’s 3 a.m. Your phone rings. You’re half-asleep, but you pick up. It’s your daughter—or at least, it sounds like her. She’s crying, panicked. There’s been an emergency. She needs money. Now.
You don’t even think twice. You send it.
But it wasn’t her.
That’s the scary part. With just a few seconds of someone’s voice—grabbed from a video, a voicemail, or a TikTok—AI can clone it so accurately that it’s almost impossible to tell the difference. These scams are targeting families, grandparents, and even businesses. And they’re working.
Deepfake Attacks That Really Happened
This isn’t sci-fi—it’s happening all over the world. Here are a few real examples:
- $25M Fraud at Arup (2024)
A deepfake video call tricked an employee into wiring $25 million after impersonating the company’s executives.
- Fake CEO at WPP (2024)
Scammers used a deepfake of CEO Mark Read in a fake Microsoft Teams meeting to trick staff into giving up sensitive data.
- Joe Biden Robocall (2024)
A cloned voice of President Biden told voters not to vote in the New Hampshire primary—an actual attempt at voter suppression.
- Zelenskyy Deepfake (2022)
A video of Ukraine’s president calling for surrender during the war—completely fake, but temporarily believable.
- Nick Cave Crypto Scam
A man lost $130,000 after a deepfake of the musician endorsed a phony investment platform.
- Elon Musk & Martin Lewis Scams
Fraudulent videos of both celebrities have been used to push fake crypto deals online.
- AI Voice Scam on a Grandparent
A scammer cloned a grandson’s voice to con a grandmother into sending bail money.
- Brad Pitt Romance Scam (2024)
A French woman was duped out of €1 million after falling for a deepfake of the actor during an online “relationship.”
- Crypto KYC Bypass
Deepfakes and virtual webcams have been used to fool crypto exchanges’ identity checks and create anonymous accounts.
What Can We Do About It?
Deepfakes are changing the rules. The line between real and fake has never been blurrier. Whether you’re a business, a parent, or just someone who uses the internet—being aware of these tactics is the first step to staying safe.
Technology alone won’t solve this. We need better tools, smarter policies, and more digital skepticism. If something feels off, don’t rush—verify first. In a world where even your own eyes and ears can be fooled, a little doubt could go a long way.
