A disturbing case of fraud highlights the dangers of deepfake technology. An Ontario senior in his 80s recently fell victim to a sophisticated scam, losing over $15,000 to criminals using a convincing deepfake video of Premier Doug Ford.

According to a June 24th press release from Guelph police, the victim clicked on a Facebook advertisement. This ad seemingly featured Premier Ford endorsing a specific mutual fund account. What the senior didn’t know was that the endorsement was entirely fabricated using deepfake technology.

The fraudulent advertisement led to a chat where the victim was persuaded to invest a substantial amount of money – over $15,000 – through e-transfers and credit card payments over the course of a week. The incident was reported to the police on June 23rd.

Guelph police are using this incident to warn residents about the increasing prevalence of online scams. They urge everyone to exercise extreme caution when encountering online advertisements that solicit money, particularly those featuring prominent public figures. The ease with which deepfake technology can be used to create convincing but false endorsements underscores the importance of verifying information before making any financial decisions online.

This incident serves as a stark reminder to always be skeptical of unsolicited investment opportunities and to verify the legitimacy of any advertisement before engaging with it. Never share personal or financial information unless you are absolutely certain of the recipient’s identity and trustworthiness.