A video shows a well-known businessperson or media personality confidently recommending an investment platform. It looks and sounds like them. It isn't them. Deepfake technology has reached the point where a fabricated video can be convincing on a quick watch, especially on a small phone screen.
Why this one is different from older scams
Older investment scams relied on a stranger's word. This version borrows someone else's trust, a face and voice you already believe, which is what makes it more effective than it has any right to be.
If an investment opportunity needs a celebrity's face to convince you, that's the warning sign, not the endorsement.
What to actually check
Genuine investment products are registered and regulated. Search the platform or adviser's name against ASIC's Professional Registers before considering putting any money in. A well-known face in a video is not verification, a licence number is.
The habit worth building
Treat any investment opportunity that arrived through a social media video, rather than a conversation with a licensed adviser you sought out yourself, with the same scepticism as an unexpected phone call. The production quality has improved. The advice to slow down hasn't changed.
AI-generated scams, including voice cloning and deepfake video, are covered in full in the Sfinco Personal Cyber Awareness Assistant. See what it does.