What Are Deepfakes? Understanding One of the Newest Online Scams
Technology is changing incredibly quickly, and while many of these changes are exciting, they also create new opportunities for scammers.
One technology that has received a lot of attention is deepfakes.
The name may sound alarming, but understanding what deepfakes are is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family.
What Is a Deepfake?
A deepfake is a photo, video or audio recording that has been created or altered using artificial intelligence (AI) to make it appear as though someone is saying or doing something they never actually did.
For example, AI can be used to:
Make a person's face appear to move naturally in a video.
Create a realistic voice that sounds very similar to someone else.
Generate images of people who don't exist.
Edit existing videos so they appear genuine.
The technology itself isn't always used for bad purposes. It can be used in films, education, accessibility tools and creative projects.
Unfortunately, scammers have also started using it to trick people.
How Are Deepfakes Made?
Modern AI systems are trained using large numbers of photographs, videos or voice recordings.
The AI learns what a person's face or voice sounds like and can then generate new images, speech or video that closely resemble them.
The more public photos, videos or voice recordings that are available, the easier it can be for someone to create a convincing imitation.
Fortunately, creating a truly convincing deepfake still requires time, suitable source material and the right software. It's not something that happens automatically to everyone.
Why Are Older People Often Targeted?
Older adults are not targeted because they are less intelligent.
They are targeted because scammers believe they are more likely to trust what they see or hear, especially if it appears to come from a family member, a bank or a trusted organisation.
Many people grew up in a time when a photograph or someone's voice was considered reliable 'evidence'.
Today, that is no longer always the case.
Scammers know this and try to exploit that trust.
Common Deepfake Scams
While deepfake technology is still developing, some scams are already becoming more common.
These include:
A phone call that sounds like a family member asking for urgent financial help.
Fake videos of celebrities promoting investment schemes.
Videos that appear to show well-known people endorsing products they have never used.
Fake company executives asking employees to transfer money.
Social media accounts using AI-generated profile pictures to appear genuine.
Many of these scams are designed to make people panic or act quickly before they have time to think.
How Can You Protect Yourself?
The good news is that there are some simple habits that make these scams much less effective.
If you receive an unexpected call, message or video asking for money or personal information:
Take a moment before responding.
Contact the person using a phone number you already know is genuine.
Ask a question that only the real person would know.
Never feel pressured into making an immediate payment.
Be cautious if someone says you must act "right now."
Scammers rely on urgency. Slowing down is often your best defence.
Don't Believe Everything You See Online
As AI improves, it is becoming easier to create realistic-looking images and videos.
That doesn't mean everything online is fake.
It simply means that photographs, videos and even voices should no longer be treated as automatic proof that something is real.
If something seems surprising, emotional or too good to be true, it's worth checking another trusted source before believing or sharing it.
The Good News
Despite the headlines, most people will never become the victim of a deepfake scam.
The vast majority of online interactions are perfectly genuine, and banks, technology companies and law enforcement are continually developing new ways to detect fraudulent content.
The best protection is awareness.
Knowing that deepfakes exist makes you far less likely to be caught out by one.
The Bottom Line
Deepfakes are a new type of scam, but the goal is the same as it has always been: to gain your trust.
Whether it's a fake phone call, a convincing video or a realistic voice message, the safest approach is to pause, verify the information independently and never let anyone pressure you into making a rushed decision.
A few minutes spent checking could save you from losing money or sharing personal information with a scammer.