In an age where technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, Australians are facing a new and growing threat: deepfake scams.

These sophisticated frauds use artificial intelligence (AI) to create hyper-realistic videos and images, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between what's real and what's not.

One of Australia's most respected entrepreneurs, Dick Smith, has sounded the alarm and urged the government to take stronger action to protect citizens from these high-tech cons.

Deepfake technology has reached a level of sophistication where it can convincingly replicate a person's appearance and voice, leading to a surge in scams that exploit the trust and recognition of public figures.

Dick Smith warned Aussies about scams using deepfake technology. Image source: Flickr.

Dick Smith himself has been a victim of this technology, with scammers using his likeness to create false endorsements and advertisements, designed to deceive the public.

Most disturbingly, he was almost convinced he was seeing himself in one false ad.

'I'm incredibly angry because when I first saw it I thought it was really me,' Smith said in an interview with A Current Affair.

'I thought they'd done an interview somewhere that I'd forgotten about, but then I realized no, it wasn't.'

'I’m saying to fellow Australians never ever buy anything that’s advertised on Facebook or Instagram because you’ll probably lose your money.'

The impact of these scams has been devastating.

Queensland couple Paula and Ron learned this the hard way after losing over $220,000 from their superannuation account to a scam featuring a deepfake video of mining magnate Gina Rinehart.

'There’s a scam going around with Gina Rinehart promoting online trading, and you watch her lips, and those words are coming from her lips,' Paula shared.

The emotional and financial toll of such an experience is immense, with the couple sharing the heart-wrenching pain and embarrassment that comes with being a victim.

'They put us on a roller coaster ride highs and lows and highs and lows...from a $350 investment to be talking to actually losing all my superannuation,' Ron shared.

The couple now faces serious financial difficulties.

'I’m sorry, it’s just it’s horrible—it’s the worst feeling and the embarrassment of it, you don’t talk to your friends about it because you’re embarrassed,' Paula added.

The use of deepfake technology in scams is not just a threat to individuals but poses a potential risk to national security.

Smith highlighted a chilling scenario: 'Imagine if suddenly we saw on television, our Australian Prime Minister saying in a perfect accent, we're declaring war. Well, most people would believe it, but it could be completely faked and done by some Russian gang.'

For him, the call for action is clear. There is a pressing need for the government to collaborate with social media platforms to regulate and monitor advertisements more strictly, ensuring that such fraudulent content is identified and removed before it can do harm.

'The government could bring in legislation to make sure that Facebook and Instagram didn’t run these scam ads, but they don’t do anything for some reason,' Mr Smith claimed.

Media lawyer Justin Quill pointed out the apparent lack of preparedness by the government for these types of scams, suggesting that more proactive measures are required.

'You would have thought that our government was ready for these sorts of scams, but it seems that maybe our government wasn’t,' Mr Quill said.

Even the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has not been immune to these scams, with deepfake videos of him surfacing online.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) provides resources and advice on how to recognize and avoid scams.

It's also important to have open conversations with friends and family about these risks, as awareness is one of the best defences against falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams.

To stay updated on the latest scams, you may visit the ACCC’s Scamwatch website or read through our very own Scam Watch forum for the latest news.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) such as deep fake technology to create hyper-realistic videos to con Australians.
• Australian businessman Dick Smith has been a victim of such scams and has urged the public to avoid purchasing items from social media adverts to reduce the risk of being scammed.
• A Queensland couple shared their experience of losing over $220,000 from their superannuation account due to a scam involving a deep fake video.
• There are calls for the government to increase regulation on social media platforms to prevent the spread of these fraudulent advertisements and protect citizens.

If you, or anyone you know, has been a victim of a deepfake scam, you may report it to Scamwatch through this link.

If you’ve had your personal or financial information stolen, immediately contact your bank or credit card provider and tell them to stop any transactions.

Have you seen a deepfake video before? Share your experience with us in the comments below!

 

[Phantom36]

In an age where technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, Australians are facing a new and growing threat: deepfake scams.

These sophisticated frauds use artificial intelligence (AI) to create hyper-realistic videos and images, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between what's real and what's not.

One of Australia's most respected entrepreneurs, Dick Smith, has sounded the alarm and urged the government to take stronger action to protect citizens from these high-tech cons.

Deepfake technology has reached a level of sophistication where it can convincingly replicate a person's appearance and voice, leading to a surge in scams that exploit the trust and recognition of public figures.

View attachment 37845

Dick Smith warned Aussies about scams using deepfake technology. Image source: Flickr.

Dick Smith himself has been a victim of this technology, with scammers using his likeness to create false endorsements and advertisements, designed to deceive the public.

Most disturbingly, he was almost convinced he was seeing himself in one false ad.

'I'm incredibly angry because when I first saw it I thought it was really me,' Smith said in an interview with A Current Affair.

'I thought they'd done an interview somewhere that I'd forgotten about, but then I realized no, it wasn't.'

'I’m saying to fellow Australians never ever buy anything that’s advertised on Facebook or Instagram because you’ll probably lose your money.'

The impact of these scams has been devastating.

Queensland couple Paula and Ron learned this the hard way after losing over $220,000 from their superannuation account to a scam featuring a deepfake video of mining magnate Gina Rinehart.

'There’s a scam going around with Gina Rinehart promoting online trading, and you watch her lips, and those words are coming from her lips,' Paula shared.

The emotional and financial toll of such an experience is immense, with the couple sharing the heart-wrenching pain and embarrassment that comes with being a victim.

'They put us on a roller coaster ride highs and lows and highs and lows...from a $350 investment to be talking to actually losing all my superannuation,' Ron shared.

The couple now faces serious financial difficulties.

'I’m sorry, it’s just it’s horrible—it’s the worst feeling and the embarrassment of it, you don’t talk to your friends about it because you’re embarrassed,' Paula added.

The use of deepfake technology in scams is not just a threat to individuals but poses a potential risk to national security.

Smith highlighted a chilling scenario: 'Imagine if suddenly we saw on television, our Australian Prime Minister saying in a perfect accent, we're declaring war. Well, most people would believe it, but it could be completely faked and done by some Russian gang.'

For him, the call for action is clear. There is a pressing need for the government to collaborate with social media platforms to regulate and monitor advertisements more strictly, ensuring that such fraudulent content is identified and removed before it can do harm.

'The government could bring in legislation to make sure that Facebook and Instagram didn’t run these scam ads, but they don’t do anything for some reason,' Mr Smith claimed.

Media lawyer Justin Quill pointed out the apparent lack of preparedness by the government for these types of scams, suggesting that more proactive measures are required.

'You would have thought that our government was ready for these sorts of scams, but it seems that maybe our government wasn’t,' Mr Quill said.

Even the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has not been immune to these scams, with deepfake videos of him surfacing online.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) provides resources and advice on how to recognize and avoid scams.

It's also important to have open conversations with friends and family about these risks, as awareness is one of the best defences against falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams.

To stay updated on the latest scams, you may visit the ACCC’s Scamwatch website or read through our very own Scam Watch forum for the latest news.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) such as deep fake technology to create hyper-realistic videos to con Australians.
• Australian businessman Dick Smith has been a victim of such scams and has urged the public to avoid purchasing items from social media adverts to reduce the risk of being scammed.
• A Queensland couple shared their experience of losing over $220,000 from their superannuation account due to a scam involving a deep fake video.
• There are calls for the government to increase regulation on social media platforms to prevent the spread of these fraudulent advertisements and protect citizens.

If you, or anyone you know, has been a victim of a deepfake scam, you may report it to Scamwatch through this link.

If you’ve had your personal or financial information stolen, immediately contact your bank or credit card provider and tell them to stop any transactions.

Have you seen a deepfake video before? Share your experience with us in the comments below!

You see deepfake rubbish on Facebook every single day, if people are gullable enough to believe you can invest $350 and receive 7-10 thousand every week there is not much hope for them. Regardless of who you think is promoting it, it is a scam people.

 

[Judi-Ann]

I almost fell for that one myself until I checked the email against the real email of the person that it was supposed to be from. Also try to contact any email that is sent by pretending to ask a question refering to their one to you and see if you get a reply. Invariably most of the time there is no answer and you don't get a response...I was looking to get a rescue dog and found that the dog I was looking at in the photo was one taken from an ad. When I requested they send me a photo or video of the dog at his home that day. I never received an email back. Prior to that I said that I will come and pick it up at his place and his answer was "No I will bring it to you." Which instantly raised my awareness that it must be a scam. Which it was because when he did not reply I raised it with the Government SCAM organisation and they where taking it from there.

 

[Luckyus]

In an age where technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, Australians are facing a new and growing threat: deepfake scams.

These sophisticated frauds use artificial intelligence (AI) to create hyper-realistic videos and images, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between what's real and what's not.

One of Australia's most respected entrepreneurs, Dick Smith, has sounded the alarm and urged the government to take stronger action to protect citizens from these high-tech cons.

Deepfake technology has reached a level of sophistication where it can convincingly replicate a person's appearance and voice, leading to a surge in scams that exploit the trust and recognition of public figures.

View attachment 37845

Dick Smith warned Aussies about scams using deepfake technology. Image source: Flickr.

Dick Smith himself has been a victim of this technology, with scammers using his likeness to create false endorsements and advertisements, designed to deceive the public.

Most disturbingly, he was almost convinced he was seeing himself in one false ad.

'I'm incredibly angry because when I first saw it I thought it was really me,' Smith said in an interview with A Current Affair.

'I thought they'd done an interview somewhere that I'd forgotten about, but then I realized no, it wasn't.'

'I’m saying to fellow Australians never ever buy anything that’s advertised on Facebook or Instagram because you’ll probably lose your money.'

The impact of these scams has been devastating.

Queensland couple Paula and Ron learned this the hard way after losing over $220,000 from their superannuation account to a scam featuring a deepfake video of mining magnate Gina Rinehart.

'There’s a scam going around with Gina Rinehart promoting online trading, and you watch her lips, and those words are coming from her lips,' Paula shared.

The emotional and financial toll of such an experience is immense, with the couple sharing the heart-wrenching pain and embarrassment that comes with being a victim.

'They put us on a roller coaster ride highs and lows and highs and lows...from a $350 investment to be talking to actually losing all my superannuation,' Ron shared.

The couple now faces serious financial difficulties.

'I’m sorry, it’s just it’s horrible—it’s the worst feeling and the embarrassment of it, you don’t talk to your friends about it because you’re embarrassed,' Paula added.

The use of deepfake technology in scams is not just a threat to individuals but poses a potential risk to national security.

Smith highlighted a chilling scenario: 'Imagine if suddenly we saw on television, our Australian Prime Minister saying in a perfect accent, we're declaring war. Well, most people would believe it, but it could be completely faked and done by some Russian gang.'

For him, the call for action is clear. There is a pressing need for the government to collaborate with social media platforms to regulate and monitor advertisements more strictly, ensuring that such fraudulent content is identified and removed before it can do harm.

'The government could bring in legislation to make sure that Facebook and Instagram didn’t run these scam ads, but they don’t do anything for some reason,' Mr Smith claimed.

Media lawyer Justin Quill pointed out the apparent lack of preparedness by the government for these types of scams, suggesting that more proactive measures are required.

'You would have thought that our government was ready for these sorts of scams, but it seems that maybe our government wasn’t,' Mr Quill said.

Even the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has not been immune to these scams, with deepfake videos of him surfacing online.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) provides resources and advice on how to recognize and avoid scams.

It's also important to have open conversations with friends and family about these risks, as awareness is one of the best defences against falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams.

To stay updated on the latest scams, you may visit the ACCC’s Scamwatch website or read through our very own Scam Watch forum for the latest news.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) such as deep fake technology to create hyper-realistic videos to con Australians.
• Australian businessman Dick Smith has been a victim of such scams and has urged the public to avoid purchasing items from social media adverts to reduce the risk of being scammed.
• A Queensland couple shared their experience of losing over $220,000 from their superannuation account due to a scam involving a deep fake video.
• There are calls for the government to increase regulation on social media platforms to prevent the spread of these fraudulent advertisements and protect citizens.

If you, or anyone you know, has been a victim of a deepfake scam, you may report it to Scamwatch through this link.

If you’ve had your personal or financial information stolen, immediately contact your bank or credit card provider and tell them to stop any transactions.

Have you seen a deepfake video before? Share your experience with us in the comments below!

Lets not forget, he made his millions selling cheap shite made in China.

 

[JudyPR]

In an age where technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace, Australians are facing a new and growing threat: deepfake scams.

These sophisticated frauds use artificial intelligence (AI) to create hyper-realistic videos and images, making it increasingly difficult to distinguish between what's real and what's not.

One of Australia's most respected entrepreneurs, Dick Smith, has sounded the alarm and urged the government to take stronger action to protect citizens from these high-tech cons.

Deepfake technology has reached a level of sophistication where it can convincingly replicate a person's appearance and voice, leading to a surge in scams that exploit the trust and recognition of public figures.

View attachment 37845

Dick Smith warned Aussies about scams using deepfake technology. Image source: Flickr.

Dick Smith himself has been a victim of this technology, with scammers using his likeness to create false endorsements and advertisements, designed to deceive the public.

Most disturbingly, he was almost convinced he was seeing himself in one false ad.

'I'm incredibly angry because when I first saw it I thought it was really me,' Smith said in an interview with A Current Affair.

'I thought they'd done an interview somewhere that I'd forgotten about, but then I realized no, it wasn't.'

'I’m saying to fellow Australians never ever buy anything that’s advertised on Facebook or Instagram because you’ll probably lose your money.'

The impact of these scams has been devastating.

Queensland couple Paula and Ron learned this the hard way after losing over $220,000 from their superannuation account to a scam featuring a deepfake video of mining magnate Gina Rinehart.

'There’s a scam going around with Gina Rinehart promoting online trading, and you watch her lips, and those words are coming from her lips,' Paula shared.

The emotional and financial toll of such an experience is immense, with the couple sharing the heart-wrenching pain and embarrassment that comes with being a victim.

'They put us on a roller coaster ride highs and lows and highs and lows...from a $350 investment to be talking to actually losing all my superannuation,' Ron shared.

The couple now faces serious financial difficulties.

'I’m sorry, it’s just it’s horrible—it’s the worst feeling and the embarrassment of it, you don’t talk to your friends about it because you’re embarrassed,' Paula added.

The use of deepfake technology in scams is not just a threat to individuals but poses a potential risk to national security.

Smith highlighted a chilling scenario: 'Imagine if suddenly we saw on television, our Australian Prime Minister saying in a perfect accent, we're declaring war. Well, most people would believe it, but it could be completely faked and done by some Russian gang.'

For him, the call for action is clear. There is a pressing need for the government to collaborate with social media platforms to regulate and monitor advertisements more strictly, ensuring that such fraudulent content is identified and removed before it can do harm.

'The government could bring in legislation to make sure that Facebook and Instagram didn’t run these scam ads, but they don’t do anything for some reason,' Mr Smith claimed.

Media lawyer Justin Quill pointed out the apparent lack of preparedness by the government for these types of scams, suggesting that more proactive measures are required.

'You would have thought that our government was ready for these sorts of scams, but it seems that maybe our government wasn’t,' Mr Quill said.

Even the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has not been immune to these scams, with deepfake videos of him surfacing online.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) provides resources and advice on how to recognize and avoid scams.

It's also important to have open conversations with friends and family about these risks, as awareness is one of the best defences against falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams.

To stay updated on the latest scams, you may visit the ACCC’s Scamwatch website or read through our very own Scam Watch forum for the latest news.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) such as deep fake technology to create hyper-realistic videos to con Australians.
• Australian businessman Dick Smith has been a victim of such scams and has urged the public to avoid purchasing items from social media adverts to reduce the risk of being scammed.
• A Queensland couple shared their experience of losing over $220,000 from their superannuation account due to a scam involving a deep fake video.
• There are calls for the government to increase regulation on social media platforms to prevent the spread of these fraudulent advertisements and protect citizens.

If you, or anyone you know, has been a victim of a deepfake scam, you may report it to Scamwatch through this link.

If you’ve had your personal or financial information stolen, immediately contact your bank or credit card provider and tell them to stop any transactions.

Have you seen a deepfake video before? Share your experience with us in the comments below!

Not a person, but a company - Harvey Norman. The advertisement seemed genuine: pay $3 and wait for the mystery box containing uncollected goods from their warehouse. The reviews showed various people with their mystery box. The instruction was to choose a mystery box from the 9 on the screen. Of course, the first one was empty. The 2nd attempt showed a "box". Once I had given my credit card details and got an authorisation number from my bank, the money winged its way to Denmark. Now I could design my own website if I paid more money, and if I didn't cancel my subscription they could keep taking money from my account. I emailed my cancellation to the webhosts in Denmark, and 'touch' wood I have heard no more, This happened on a Sunday. I rang my bank on Monday and they immediately cancelled my credit card. As my husband said, $3 from one person is not much, but as this scam was running world-wide, imagine how much money these people are making.

 

[David567]

This has happened with so many celebs around Australia and with Jessica Mauboy and the Prime dickhead minister just the other day on facebook. Don't buy from ads on facebook or any social media. News readers, Eddie Maguire, Tracey Grimshaw, Dick Smith, Gina Rinehart and several actors just to name a few have been targets of these scams. Go direct to the known Web page or contact direct via registered phone number. Don't beleive any bullshit you see advertised these days. Don't trust trading platforms either, they are all bullshit. Check it out first and be safe. So many clowns see these ads and go on clicking frenzy and lose money. Don't answer your phone to unknown numbers as they are 99.9% scammers.

 

[Phantom36]

Very well said, David.

 

[Ezzy]

I have lost count of the number of times something has appeared on my computer selling a product endorsed by a celebrity. IF YOU WANT ME TO BUY A PRODUCT DON'T TELL ME THIS IS ENDORSED BY A CELEBRITY!!! THIS IN NO WAY ENCOURAGES ME TO BUY YOUR PRODUCT!!