Scammers are impersonating anyone from influencers to high-profile crypto figures using deep-fake technology in a bid to steal crypto from unsuspecting victims -- however, they now seem to have focused on impersonating regular people as they are "more convincing" tools.
Most recently, Miranda, an e-commerce worker who does not wish to disclose her real name because her company has not given her permission to speak publicly, has been a target of such an attack.
Imposters made a deep fake video of the 34-year-old promoting a crypto scam and published it on the Melbourne woman’s Instagram account on February 13, according to a report by The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Hi guys, I just invested $1,000 and got $10,000 back into my bank account straight away,” Miranda's fake version says in the clip before encouraging her followers to contact a suspicious account.
Notably, Miranda is not an influencer and merely has 470 followers on her private Instagram account.
“I was so traumatised,” she said. “My husband showed me the video, but I could only watch it for a few seconds. Seeing yourself on a screen when it is not you is so disturbing."
While deep fakes of celebrities have been around for some time now, scammers have now shifted their focus to creating deep fakes of regular people.
David Cook, an expert in information warfare and cybersecurity management at Edith Cowan University, has recently received numerous reports about deep fakes of regular people, who he claims can be far more convincing and believable.
"When you target celebrities, it’s almost a theatre because you will see someone say something outlandish,” he told the SMH, and added:
“The ring of truth works for mum and dad investors because it is much more believable when it’s
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