SINGAPORE – Singaporeans must remain vigilant and learn to protect themselves and loved ones against deepfake scams, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong – who is the latest target to be depicted promoting investment products.
In a Facebook post on Dec 29, PM Lee included a recent deepfake video circulating online, in which he appears to be advocating for a cryptocurrency scheme in an interview with Beijing-based news outlet China Global Television Network.
He wrote: “The scammers use AI (artificial intelligence) technology to mimic our voices and images. They transform real footage of us taken from official events into very convincing but completely bogus videos of us purporting to say things that we have never said.”
PM Lee urged people not to respond if they receive such scam videos, which promise guaranteed returns on investments.
Anyone who comes across such video scams, false news or advertisements can report them using the official ScamShield Bot on WhatsApp, he said.
He added that official videos put up online by the Prime Minister’s Office can be found here.
PM Lee said: “The use of deepfake technology to spread disinformation will continue to grow.”
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He added that Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong was also the target of a similar deepfake video recently.
Embed Facebook
‘Tis the season for scams! Recently, there have been a number of audio deepfake videos of me purporting to promote crypto scams. DPM Lawrence Wong has also been targeted! The scammers use AI technology to mimic our voices and images. They transform real footage of us taken from official events into very convincing but completely bogus videos of us purporting to say things that we have never said. If you see or receive these scam videos promising guaranteed returns on investments or ‘giveaways’, please do not respond to them! If you come across scams, fake news or ads like the video here, please report them via the official ScamShield Bot on WhatsApp at https://go.gov.sg/scamshield-bot. The official PMO videos can be found here http://www.youtube.com/@pmosingapore instead. The use of deepfake technology to spread disinformation will continue to grow. We must remain vigilant and learn to protect ourselves and our loved ones against such scams. Thanks to alert Singaporeans who took the time to flag this to me. – LHL
Posted by Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday, December 28, 2023
In a Facebook post on Dec 11, DPM Wong said he was aware of deepfake scam posts and messages that show him endorsing products, and spreading misinformation that the Government was planning to implement a Covid-19 circuit breaker.
He said: “These are all falsehoods. Let’s stay vigilant and discerning online.”
Remote video URL
Deepfake video of DPM Lawrence Wong promoting investment scam circulating on social media
Scammers use deepfakes to create voice recordings and videos to trick victims’ family, friends
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PM Lee warns against responding to deepfake videos of him promoting investment scams
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