AI and Deepfakes: How Keir Starmer and Prince William became tools for crypto scams

by Giorgi Kostiuk

2 years ago

AI Fraud: A New Type of Scam Emerges
How Users Are Deceived
Responses and Measures from Social Media Giants

AI-generated videos of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince William are being used to advertise crypto scams on Facebook and Instagram. Research firm Fenimore Harper found over 250 ads promoting a platform called 'Immediate Edge'.

AI Fraud: A New Type of Scam Emerges

According to a report from Fenimore Harper, Immediate Edge aggressively pushed these deepfake ads to unsuspecting users on social media. About 890,000 people on Facebook and Instagram saw the ads, with £21,000 ($27,000) already spent. The ads were discovered using Meta's large language model, Llama 3.1.

How Users Are Deceived

The fake videos promise users 'life-changing opportunities,' enticing them to provide personal data like their name, phone number, and email. The ads suggest that Immediate Edge is backed by high-profile figures. Users are then led to a page where they are encouraged to deposit money into a fake online trading platform. When users try to withdraw their funds, the scammers disappear. One of the quotes from Keir Starmer's deepfake reads: "Your life is about to change. I am Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom...". The videos claim that 45 individuals have been selected to earn 'life-changing money,' promising up to £1,000 a day.

Responses and Measures from Social Media Giants

Many of the links used in the ads are now defunct, although some ads are still active. Facebook and Instagram have struggled to block these ads entirely. Google also failed to flag Immediate Edge as a scam. Fenimore Harper's founder Marcus Beard said that unless strict measures are taken, the issue will persist. Meta and Google have started taking steps to remove the ads and prevent their further spread.

AI and deepfakes are creating new threats for internet users. Scam schemes using the images of well-known figures are deceiving people and collecting their personal data. Tech companies need to intensify efforts to combat these threats and protect users.

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