SINGAPORE / EuroWire.IO / – The global police organization INTERPOL has initiated a campaign aimed at alerting the public to the increasing danger of scams involving AI-generated or AI-altered media. Announced on Monday, October 19, the effort features three brief videos created using artificial intelligence. These clips demonstrate how synthetic media, widely referred to as deepfakes, can be exploited against unsuspecting individuals. The core message urges viewers to “Wait. Validate. Don’t take the bait.” INTERPOL, which has 196 member countries, highlighted that awareness of this threat remains limited.
One of the videos depicts a criminal impersonating a boss, while others showcase a cloned female voice and a fabricated romantic partner. INTERPOL noted that generative AI applications and the large language models powering them are advancing rapidly each day. Crafting convincing fake content now requires little technical expertise or financial investment. These tools can generate hyper-realistic avatars capable of speaking like humans and can replicate an individual’s face or voice using minimal internet-sourced material.
Initially, deepfake-related crimes were primarily seen as threats targeting public figures. Today, however, they increasingly impact private citizens through methods such as investment scams, impersonation, romance fraud, sextortion, deepfake pornography, and disinformation. In practice, victims might receive a video call from someone posing as a colleague requesting a bank transfer. Others could get a call from a family member appearing to be in distress. The objective in each case is to steal money or acquire sensitive personal information. Past reports have confirmed that criminal groups use AI for cybercrime and fraud.
Warning signs fade as AI removes traditional scam indicators
Toshinobu Yasuhira, director of the INTERPOL Innovation Centre, stated that AI is making it harder to identify typical signs of fraud. Misspelled words, inconsistent branding, and awkward formatting are rapidly becoming outdated as warning cues, Yasuhira explained. He emphasized that anyone, regardless of age, location, or sector, can be targeted. INTERPOL’s mission is to equip law enforcement agencies and the public with the knowledge and tools needed to detect these emerging threats early. In December 2024, the United Nations adopted a landmark cybercrime treaty to bolster international cooperation against such crimes.
INTERPOL advised individuals to be cautious of unsolicited contact from strangers or those claiming to be friends, relatives, or trusted organizations. These approaches often quickly escalate to requests for personal details, banking information, or money. A sense of urgency, often linked to personal or family emergencies, is a common tactic used by scammers. They may employ fear, distress, or secrecy to discourage targets from seeking advice. Requests for payment via wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards should be viewed with suspicion, as these forms of payment are difficult to trace.
Confirm identities and establish a secret code
Rapidly escalating online interactions, such as declarations of love and emotional dependence, may also indicate a scam. Victims might be pressured to leave official dating platforms, where monitoring and reporting mechanisms are in place. INTERPOL recommended staying calm and skeptical, taking time to evaluate any request, even if it appears to come from someone familiar. Discussing the situation with trusted individuals can be helpful. For unsolicited calls, ending the call and contacting the person via a verified channel is advised.
Families and close friends are encouraged to agree on a safe word or secret question to confirm identities during suspicious calls. It is also recommended to verify the online profiles of new contacts and ensure that profile photos are not copied from other sources. Enabling two-factor authentication on all online accounts enhances security. This initiative is part of Project SynthWave PLUS, funded by the Government of Japan, designed to assist law enforcement agencies in Southeast Asia and beyond in countering threats posed by synthetic media.