SINGAPORE / EuroWire.IO / – The global law enforcement organization INTERPOL has initiated an awareness drive warning the public about scams that leverage AI-generated or AI-manipulated media. The campaign, announced on Monday, October 19, revolves around three short videos, which themselves were created using artificial intelligence. These clips demonstrate how synthetic media, commonly known as deepfakes, can be exploited against unsuspecting individuals. Its core message urges people to “Wait. Validate. Don’t take the bait.” INTERPOL, comprising 196 member countries, indicated that understanding of this threat is still limited among the public.
One of the videos features a criminal impersonating a boss, while others illustrate a cloned female voice and a fabricated romantic partner. According to INTERPOL, generative AI applications and the large language models powering them are becoming increasingly sophisticated every day. Crafting convincing fake media no longer requires advanced technical skills or significant financial investment. These tools can produce hyper-realistic avatars capable of speaking convincingly like humans, and can mimic the face or voice of real individuals using only small amounts of online material.
Initially, deepfake-related crimes were primarily seen as a threat to prominent figures. However, they now increasingly target private citizens through methods such as investment scams, impersonation, romance fraud, sextortion, deepfake pornography, and disinformation campaigns. In practice, victims might receive a video call from someone posing as a colleague requesting a bank transfer. Others might be contacted by a family member who appears to be in trouble. The overarching goal of these schemes is to steal money or sensitive personal information. Past reports have documented that criminal groups use AI to facilitate cybercrime and fraud.
Warning signs diminish as AI conceals traditional scam cues
Toshinobu Yasuhira, head of the INTERPOL Innovation Centre, explained that AI is making it harder to detect typical fraud indicators. Mistakes like misspellings, inconsistent branding, and awkward formatting are quickly becoming outdated as warning signs, he added. According to Yasuhira, individuals of all ages, regions, and sectors are vulnerable targets. INTERPOL’s efforts aim to equip law enforcement and the public with knowledge and tools to recognize these emerging threats early. Additionally, the United Nations adopted a landmark cybercrime treaty in December 2024 to bolster international cooperation against such crimes.
INTERPOL has cautioned the public to be alert for unsolicited outreach from unfamiliar individuals or those claiming to be friends, relatives, or trusted entities. These contacts often swiftly escalate to requests for personal details, bank information, or money. A common warning sign is the urgency to act immediately, often linked to a personal crisis or family emergency. Scammers may use fear, distress, or demand secrecy to prevent victims from seeking advice. Requests for payments via wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards should also raise suspicion, as these types of funds are difficult to trace.
Confirm identities and set a secure keyword to prevent scams
Relationships formed online that become overly intense quickly, featuring declarations of love and emotional dependence, may also indicate a scam. Victims are often pressured to leave official dating platforms, which have monitoring and reporting systems in place. INTERPOL recommends staying calm and skeptical, taking time to evaluate any unusual requests, even from individuals who seem familiar. Discussing the situation with trusted persons can be helpful. For unsolicited calls, hanging up and contacting the person through verified, known channels is advised.
It is also recommended that families and close friends agree on a secret word or question to verify identities during suspicious calls. Additionally, checking the online profiles of new contacts and ensuring that profile pictures have not been copied from other sources is vital. Enabling two-factor authentication on all online accounts is strongly encouraged. This campaign is part of Project SynthWave PLUS, supported by funding from the Government of Japan. The initiative aims to assist law enforcement agencies in Southeast Asia and beyond in addressing threats posed by synthetic media.