Deepfake scam ad shows ‘Taoiseach’ urging people to make investment
A DEEPFAKE scam advert has emerged of Leo Varadkar and Virgin Media News anchor Colette Fitzpatrick, in which the Taoiseach is depicted urging people to invest cash for a guaranteed return.
A deepfake is where someone uses video footage of a real-life person and makes them say things they have never said.
The video, which purported to show Mr Varadkar on Virgin Media News advocating for people to invest in a scheme, has appeared on Instagram in recent days.
The video uses artificial intelligence to do a fake voiceover of Mr Varadkar and Ms Fitzpatrick and falsely claimed it was approved by the Taosieach.
It also claimed the scheme was backed by Gabriel Makhlouf, the governor of the Central Bank.
The fake voiceover said: ‘The prime minister Leo Varadkar has been quietly earning colossal sums on a project that was originally intended for ordinary citizens.
‘The head of the Central Bank of Ireland, Gabriel Makhlouf, presented the app for all citizens of Ireland. The app makes transactions on the stock market without human assistance, and makes a positive outcome in 95% of cases.’
Speaking in an American accent, Mr Varadkar is made to say: ‘I want to assure you that we simply decided to
‘Neither acceptable nor tolerable’
test how this app works so as not to risk the money of ordinary citizens.
‘Now I can personally vouch for the reliability of this investment platform. All you have to do is set up a payment schedule to your bank card.
‘You can get paid every day, once a week, or once a month.’ Mr Varadkar’s voice is manipulated to say he had not paid tax on the income he had received. He is made to say: ‘I personally instructed not to tax the income from the profits, as the project is a social project and is designed to help people in Ireland to improve their wellbeing at a time of rising inflation around the world.’
While the use of deepfake technology is a new advance in frauds, Mr Varadkar is the latest in a string of high-profile people who have had their likeness and image used to try to scam people out of money.
Late last year, Micheál Martin had to bring Google to court to get it to reveal who was behind a scam which used imagery of the Tánaiste. A spokesman for Mr Martin said at the time: ‘The Tánaiste believes it is neither acceptable nor tolerable that persons unknown can use his image and name online in an effort to associate him with financial products he has never heard of and seek to extract money from people, using his name.’
Newstalk presenter Pat Kenny previously said he was taking legal advice after a fake news story emerged that he had been arrested and escorted off the Newstalk premises. The current affairs host has also been the victim of fake advertisements showing pictures of him recommending erectile dysfunction drugs and muscle enhancers.
Facebook Ireland has also had to apologise unreservedly to presenter Miriam O’Callaghan over fake ads on the social media platform.