Use of artificial intelligence to recreate the voice and image of the governor of SP Tarcisio announcing a misleading advertisement

A deepfake video of São Paulo's Governor Tarcísio was used to deliver a false advertisement. The scheme included a fake Procon website, where victims were misled into entering personal information. This highlights ongoing risks with AI-driven impersonation scams.

image made with A.I.

In September 2024, the São Paulo government issued a warning to the public about a new digital scam involving the use of deepfake technology, which is capable of replicating the image (face, body) and voice of any person. In this scam, criminals used the image and voice of São Paulo’s Governor, Tarcísio de Freitas, to create a fake video promoting the crime.

In the video, the governor allegedly makes an official announcement promoting a Procon website, the consumer protection agency. However, what seemed like a legitimate communication was, in fact, a carefully orchestrated fraud.

The fraudulent video directed users to a website that mimicked the visual identity and functionality of Procon's official portal, tricking victims into believing they were accessing a legitimate service. However, the fake website aimed to collect personal and sensitive information, such as social security numbers and phone numbers, which could then be used by scammers for financial fraud or even identity theft.

In response to the scam, the São Paulo government warned the public to be cautious when providing personal data on suspicious or unverified websites. Authorities advised people to always verify the authenticity of any website or service, especially when directed through questionable messages or videos, as in the case of the deepfake. The use of this technology for fraud represents a new and growing threat in the digital world, as it allows criminals to accurately recreate the voice and image of public figures, making the scam even more convincing and increasingly common.

Source: CNN Brasil