In a world where everything is connected, deep fakes are all around us in a digital universe

In a world where everything is connected, deep fakes are all around us in a digital universe.

The increasing threats of deepfake identities and digital consumer uses pose serious national security and market risks where criminals and malign influence actors exploit and leverage through more pervasive umbrella of synthetic media and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) tools that are manipulated to create believable, realistic videos, pictures, audio, and text of events which never happened, disinformation campaigns (infocalypse), or the marketing of consumer goods that are not real.

In a world of deepfakes, ascertaining what is real and what is not — or evidence-based facts vs. fake news — is becoming an impossible task.

The increasing sophistication and accessibility of AI and deepfake technologies have made it a potent tool for criminals for impersonation attacks, financial scams, identity fraud, create synthetic documents, corporate espionage, sophisticated phishing, and online sales of counterfeits across e-commerce platforms.

For example, counterfeiters have used deepfake videos of celebrities and influencers to promote fake products, such as luxury items or electronics, on social media and other platforms.

AI-generated content can also be used to show fake versions of a product (e.g., counterfeited pharmaceuticals or electronics) in everyday use, misleading customers into believing it is authentic. Deepfakes can also generate phony customer reviews or testimonials that make fraudulent or low-quality goods appear more credible.

Moreover, a flood of fake e-commerce websites and millions of scam messges are used to lure victims on giveaway prizes, fake gift card wins, limited-time offers or refund notifications to access personal and financial information or direct them to malicious links.

Deepfakes are increasingly used to blackmail, harass or extort people.

Report deepfakes directly to state and local law enforcement hotlines, or an appropriate federal agency including the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at:
https://www.ic3.gov/