So-called “deepfakes” are a growing threat to investors, the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) is warning.
In an alert, the regulator reported that scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics and technology, including artificial intelligence, to defraud investors.
“Scammers can… use deepfakes to make anyone say anything in order to get you to, for example, put money into totally fictitious investments,” the AMF said.
Among other things, it warned that the technology enables scammers to impersonate anyone from a public figure to an investor’s friends and relatives, and to create realistic videos that can be used to deceive.
“Deepfakes are now prevalent on most social media platforms and the internet,” the AMF said, noting that the technology can also be used to design fictitious people with fake online profiles to trick investors.
To guard against these kinds of schemes, the AMF advised investors to take the standard precautions of checking registration, being wary about sending money or sharing personal information, and reviewing regulators’ watch lists.
It also warned investors to be alert to the common red flags of investment fraud, such as promises of low-risk, high-return opportunities, and prompts for immediate action.