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AI technology – where faces and voices can be digitally swapped to ‘endorse’ certain products or scams – are on the rise. Here’s what to watch out for
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Deepfake technology is getting more and more sophisticated, hence ITVX’s show Deep Fake Neighbour Wars, where a deepfake of Kim Kardashian turns into a bus driver. But it’s not just used for entertainment, now fraudsters are using it. You may have seen celebrities saying things that don’t ring true or endorsing things that you wouldn’t expect them to – these may well be deepfakes. One famous example is a deepfake where Elon Musk supposedly endorsed a crypto currency scam.
“Deepfakes are AI (artificial intelligence) generated images, audio, or even text created from the real deal to make them look natural,” explains cyber security expert James Bore. “Deepfake technologies are developing constantly, so it’s now easier than ever to create a fake version of somebody saying – or doing – whatever you want them to.” Here’s what you need to know…
BE ALERT
Fake videos, pictures or audio snippets of your favourite celebrities – or even loved ones – are growing in numbers. “They’re likely to increase even more because criminals have seen these frauds actually work,” says James. “The first widely-reported case where a deepfake was used was back in 2019, impersonating the voice of a company CEO, which lost the business a huge amount to fraudsters. And when it comes to scenarios like romance fraud, criminals can now generate fake videos, pictures and voice notes or calls to victims, asking for money or personal information, which can prove devastating.”
LEARN TO PAUSE
“The distressing thing about deepfake technology is that it’s very difficult to spot,” says James. “The technology is improving daily and with good deepfakes it’s almost impossible to tell what’s real and what’s not. Fortunately, with poor-quality deepfakes there are some signs (like blurring at the edges, a “jumping” video or lip-syncing that doesn’t quite match up) but the best are borderline impossible to detect.” James’ advice? Take a beat. “If anything seems unusual – like a friend asking you to transfer money via text, or your boss instructing you to make an unusually high transfer – always stop and speak to them in person or on the phone (call them, rather than the other way round) to confirm what’s really happening.”
LOOK FOR SMALL IMPERFECTIONS
“While we can’t often tell conclusively whether a video is fake or not, there are often a few other small clues that might help,” explains James. “Research from the Massachusetts In
