Warning over 'deepfakes' as RBWM resident falls victim to scam

Thames Valley Police has issued a warning about ‘deepfake’ videos after a RBWM resident was scammed out of a significant sum of money.

Deepfakes are realistic videos, images, or audio recordings that are created using artificial intelligence (AI) to make it appear as if someone is saying or doing something they never did.

These can be benign, like someone putting their own face on a professional dancer in a video for entertainment purposes, or malign, such as putting words into a politician's mouth with the intention of spreading disinformation.

On top of the many other ways in which scammers operate LINK, deepfakes can be used for scamming people out of money.

Scammers can manipulate pictures, audio tracks and videos to present themselves as other people convincingly. These could be friends, family, leaders or organisations or famous people.

On Tuesday (January 14) Thames Valley Police put out the following statement:

“We want to warn our community about a recent scam involving deepfake videos.

“A RBWM resident was scammed out of a significant sum of money after being persuaded to invest money based on a convincing deepfake video.

“The scammers used remote access software to gain control of the victim's phone and accounts.”

They offered a set of crime prevention tips:

• Verify identity. If someone asks for personal information, double-check who they are by using a method you can trust (like calling a number you know is correct, or Googling the official contact details of an organisation).
• Use increased security on accounts and devices. Set up extra steps to log in, like a text message code or fingerprint. Modern phones will often prompt and guide you to do this.
• Be sceptical. Be careful with shocking or surprising videos or messages, especially if they come from phone numbers, social media accounts or messaging chats you haven’t seen before or haven’t known for long.
• Check for ‘red flags’. Look for inconsistencies in communication or unusual requests. If something feels off, like someone asking for money urgently. If their message seems strange, be suspicious.
• Limit remote access. Be cautious who you let take control of your devices. Only allow this for trusted sources – such as verifiable IT professionals – and watch what they are doing closely.

Scammers often use a sense of urgency to encourage hasty action – someone is in trouble and needs help, especially financial assistance, immediately.

In this case, it is important to slow down rather than speed up. Pause and replay a video where possible, focusing on any unusual elements.

Where possible, compare the video with known real footage of the person. Look for credible sources or context for it.

If you suspect a scam, report it to Action Fraud.