1. How cybercriminals are using AI-generated video deepfakes in financial scams

Cybercriminals are now leveraging AI to create hyper-realistic video deepfakes, enabling them to impersonate trusted individuals such as CEOs, finance heads, or even family members. These deepfakes are being used to deceive individuals and organizations into executing unauthorized financial transactions or disclosing sensitive information. In several cases, victims have received video messages or participated in video calls where a familiar face and voice appeared to make urgent requests, usually for high-value transfers or confidential access. The realism of these videos can be disarming, leading victims to act without the usual due diligence, especially when time pressure or emotional cues are involved.

2. Why video deepfakes are more dangerous than traditional phishing methods

The threat from video deepfakes surpasses that of traditional phishing due to the medium’s visual and emotional impact. While phishing emails rely on text-based deception, deepfake videos exploit the brain’s instinctive trust in facial expressions, voice tonality, and body language. A deepfake of a known executive, appearing anxious and insistent, can compel employees to bypass standard procedures. Furthermore, deepfakes are difficult to detect using conventional email filters or cybersecurity tools, as the content often arrives via trusted platforms like Zoom or WhatsApp, creating a dangerous blind spot in traditional security architectures.

3. Notable real-world incidents involving deepfake impersonation

There have been several high-profile incidents where deepfake technology has been used to impersonate senior figures for financial gain. In 2023, an employee at a multinational firm in Hong Kong was tricked into transferring 25 million dollars after participating in a video call where deepfake versions of the CFO and colleagues appeared to be present. In an earlier case in the UAE, attackers used a deepfake voice to impersonate a company director and successfully orchestrated a fraudulent bank transfer of 35 million dollars. Similar techniques have also been used in scams targeting individuals, where deepfake videos of family members in distress were used to extort money urgently.

4. Visual and behavioural cues that may help identify a deepfake video

While today’s deepfakes are highly convincing, there are still certain inconsistencies that may betray their artificial nature. Laypersons can look for subtle anomalies such as slight mismatches between lip movements and spoken words, unnatural blinking patterns, or stiff facial expressions that lack the nuance of real human emotion. Often, lighting and shadows may appear inconsistent across the face, or there may be distortion when the subject turns their head or moves quickly. These clues, though not always definitive, can raise a red flag that prompts closer scrutiny or a second opinion.

5. How scammers source video footage to create convincing deepfakes

To create realistic deepfakes, threat actors do not necessarily need access to private or confidential material. They often rely on publicly available video footage—such as keynote addresses, corporate interviews, webinars, or even casual posts on social media platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram. In many cases, recordings of virtual meetings or panel discussions, particularly those that are not well-secured, provide ample training data. Even a few minutes of clear, front-facing video is sufficient to synthesize a convincing deepfake using modern AI tools.

6. Tools and applications that help detect deepfakes

A growing number of tools are being developed to detect AI-generated video manipulations. Microsoft’s Video Authenticator, for example, can evaluate subtle cues within each video frame to assess authenticity. Other platforms such as Reality Defender, and Troj AI offer enterprise-grade solutions to flag and investigate suspicious content. While no tool is infallible, integrating such technologies into the ecosystem like a Security Operations Centre (SOC) adds an important layer of defence, particularly for organisations with high public visibility or executive exposure.

7. Preventive measures to safeguard against the misuse of personal video content

Individuals can take several steps to reduce the risk of their likeness being harvested for deepfake creation. It is advisable to limit the posting of high-resolution videos on public forums unnecessarily, especially those that provide a clear frontal view of the face. Personal social media profiles should be locked down with strict privacy settings, and care should be taken when recording or sharing video content from virtual meetings. Watermarking or embedding cryptographic signatures into sensitive media can also help deter tampering.

8. Steps to take if targeted or manipulated by a deepfake video

If someone suspects they have been targeted through a deepfake video, the first step is to avoid acting impulsively. Any requests received should be verified through an alternate, trusted communication channel. The video and all associated content should be preserved and shared with internal cybersecurity teams for forensic review. There are tools available that can assist in verifying authenticity, and these can support further investigation. In India, incidents can be reported through the national cybercrime portal, while organizations should also consider involving law enforcement or CERT-In depending on the scale of the attempted incident. Timely action is essential to limit financial loss and reputational damage.