What should you do if you encounter a deepfake or AI scam?

Highlights:

• A deepfake is a fake image, video or audio clip that uses AI to mimic real people or situations. It can trick you into sharing personal or financial information.
• AI scams can look or sound real, which makes them harder to spot. Scammers use them to create urgency and pressure you into acting.
• Deepfakes have signs like mismatched lips, robotic voices or blurry visuals. Messaging that feels rushed or asks for odd payment methods may also be a warning sign.
• If you suspect you’ve encountered a deepfake, you should consider taking action to protect yourself. Report the scam, review your privacy settings and freeze your credit if needed.

Your identity is one of your most valuable assets. You use it every day when you apply for a job or open an account. As technology evolves, protecting that identity has never been more important. Artificial intelligence, or AI, has made life more convenient in many ways. But it has also created new risks. 

Scammers are using AI to make realistic fake videos and messages called deepfakes. These can look and sound real, which makes them easy to fall for. And with technology getting increasingly sophisticated, these scams are becoming more convincing and personalised. Knowing some of the warning signs can help you to recognise deepfakes and AI scams, so you can prevent identity theft.

What are deepfake and AI scams and how do they work?

The eSafety Commissioner of Australia defines deepfakes as digital photos, videos or sound clips of real individuals that have been edited to create extremely realistic yet false depictions of them. And with modern technology, creating these is easier than ever for scammers, including creating personalised messages that look to be from even your closest friends and family members. It can make a person appear to say or do something they never did. Scammers use this technology to copy faces, voices or styles of speech.

AI scams rely on technology that learns how people talk or behave. Then it creates fake messages or videos that seem real. This might be a call that sounds like your friend or maybe a video that looks to be from your bank’s CEO. 

These scams work because they play on trust. When a message looks familiar or feels urgent, it is easy to react to it. Scammers count on that moment of pressure to get you to send money or share personal information.

How can you identify deepfake and AI scams?

Even though deepfakes are getting more advanced, there are clues that can help you spot them. It’s often the little things that make your gut feel something is ‘off’ - trust yourself to listen to that voice in your head! 

Audio and video signs

• Faces or mouths move out of sync with the words.
• Robotic or flat voices that do not show emotions.
• Blurry or uneven lighting in the background.
• Phrases that sound repeated or unnatural.

Messaging signs

• Sudden urgency, such as “act now” or “time is running out”.
• Emotional manipulation or fear tactics.
• Unusual requests, like sending gift cards or transferring money.

Payment signs

• Requests for cryptocurrency or bank transfers.
• Demands for payment through prepaid gift cards.
• Messages asking for personal or banking information.

If in doubt, it’s always better to be cautious. Take a moment to stop and pause before you respond. Anyone who’s contacting you legitimately will be happy to let you take the time to verify what you are seeing or hearing before taking action. Whether it’s a supposed friend, family member, business or the government, you should take the time to phone and check if something feels off. (And remember, look up the number yourself rather than using the number in a supplied message! Scammers will find information about you online to make personalised messages feel legitimate, so stay alert.)

What should you do if you encounter a deepfake or AI scam?

If you think you have come across a deepfake or AI scam, you need to take immediate action. 

1. Confirm if the message is real by contacting the person or company through a trusted phone number or website. 
2. If it is a deepfake, report the scam via ScamWatch. 
3. Review your website privacy settings and make your social media private. 
4. Update your passwords and turn on multi-factor authentication where possible. 
5. You should also consider freezing your credit file. This works to help stop scammers from opening new financial accounts in your name. 

These actions can reduce your risk and make it harder for scammers to use your information again.

Help protect your identity with Equifax
Equifax knows how important it is to help protect your identity in an AI-driven world. Our Equifax Credit and Identity Protect subscriptions may assist you in managing your credit profile and staying alert to potential identity theft risks. If something suspicious appears online, including on the dark web and in your social media accounts, we can alert you.This added protection may help you stay in control of your financial future.

Useful reading: Scams can happen to anyone: Learn the signs so you can stay vigilant.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is general in nature and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Therefore, you should consider whether the information is appropriate to your circumstance before acting on it, and where appropriate, seek professional advice from a finance professional such as an adviser.