For fans, these scams can have real financial consequences.
According to McAfee, this ranges from the loss of hundreds of dollars to more than half a million.
Scarlett Johansson even threatened to file a lawsuit against OpenAI forallegedly imitating her voiceon their system.
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What Does a Celebrity Impersonator Scam Look Like?
It, in fact, looks like the celebrity.
In all seriousness, these types of fraud are becoming a major problem.
By 2027, fraud losses from generative AIcould reach $40 billion, per Deloittes Center for Financial Services.
Thats a sharp increase from the calculated amount in 2023 of $12.3 billion.
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So how do you keep yourself safe against a celebrity impersonation scam?
And what are some of the offending examples?
Weve got you covered.
Johnny Depp
In January, actor Johnny Depp became the target of a celebrity impersonation scam.
Scammers may look and sound just like the real me.
But neither I nor my team will ask you for money or your personal information.
In November, country singer Reba McEntire posted on Instagram with a similar message.
She urged fansnot to give out personal information, purchase gift cards or send money electronically to strangers.
Brad Pitt
Another recent celebrity impersonation scam: Brad Pitt.
David Attenborough
British presenter and biologist David Attenboroughhad his voiceused in a seemingly pro-Donald Trump newscast.
Background distortion
This is a tip for actually discerning whether the imagery itself is AI-generated,straight from Microsoft.
Look at the images background.
If they do, the one you got is likely a fake.
Search celebrity scams
Does something just feel off?
Does it surprise you that Jennifer Aniston would be trying to sell you a miracle pill?
Do you think Elon Musks investment opportunity seems too good to be true?
Check around the Internet to see if these scams have already been written about.
Plenty of celebrities have publicized scams in their own names.
The audio and mouth dont match
This is one of the most clear signs of a deepfake.
Perhaps Taylor Swift looks, for the most part, like herself in a video.
But her mouth is moving in a strange, almost automaton-like fashion.
That could be a clear sign the content is AI-generated.
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