How to spot and avoid deepfake scams on Telegram

There are several channels on Telegrams where deepfakes are widely shared. We tell you how you can stay safe if you come across these AI voice dubbed videos being shared on various social media platforms.

Written by Ankita Deshkar

Nagpur | Updated: December 16, 2023 02:06 PM IST

3 min read

Several Telegram channels use AI voice clones of celebrities to endorse its investment schemes.

Former Tata Group chairman and eminent industrialist Ratan Tata recently flagged a fake video which showed ‘him’ recommending a risk-free investment option. The audio was AI-generated.

A screengrab of the deep fake video featuring Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata

If you click on the link at the bottom of the video, which is not a secure connection, it takes you to a Telegram channel. Once the user joins the channel, they have access to another channel named, ‘Sona Agrawal’, with the username @Money_Sonabot.

Sona Agrawal’s Telegram channel

On running a reverse image search, you will find that the profile picture on the channel is of a fashion blogger and Instagram influencer, Sukhneett Wadhwa.

This isn’t the first instance of deepfake video of a celebrity giving investment advice. There are several other channels on Telegrams where deepfakes are widely shared.

Several other Telegram channels use AI voice clones of celebrities to endorse its investment schemes.

There are several other channels on Telegrams where deepfakes are widely shared.

Groups like these are both private and public on Telegram. And it’s the language and the ‘urgency’ in the messages that urges people to fall for the scam. See, for example, the image below.

Several other Telegram channels use AI voice clones of celebrities to endorse its investment schemes.

The prevalence of scams on Telegram underscores the need for heightened vigilance in the digital realm. Users must exercise caution, verify information, and refrain from engaging in dubious schemes.

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Here’s how you can stay safe if you come across these AI voice dubbed videos being shared on various social media platforms:

🚨Do not click on a link that is not secure or takes you to a Telegram channel

🚨Do not invest in schemes promising higher returns

🚨Do not invest if they use an urgent tone, such as, ‘this is your last chance’

🚨Do not give away your personal details on any Telegram channel

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🚨If you still fall a victim to such scams, file a cyber complaint immediately and alert the bank

Tags:

artificial intelligence