SINGAPORE / EuroWire.IO / – INTERPOL has launched a public awareness initiative on Monday, October 19, to shed light on the increasing threats posed by crimes involving AI-generated or AI-modified media designed to deceive individuals. The campaign features a series of three short videos, each crafted using artificial intelligence, illustrating how synthetic media, often called deepfakes, can be exploited to trick victims. The central message encourages viewers to “Wait. Validate. Don’t take the bait.” This effort targets both everyday citizens and law enforcement personnel alike.
These videos portray various scenarios, such as a criminal impersonating a boss, the cloning of a woman’s voice, and the creation of a false romantic profile online. INTERPOL emphasized that generative AI tools and the large language models powering them are becoming more advanced daily. These technologies no longer demand significant technical expertise or substantial investment. They are capable of producing hyper-realistic avatars with human-like language abilities and can even replicate a real individual’s face or voice from limited online content.
According to INTERPOL, the public’s awareness of how deepfakes are utilized in criminal activities remains limited. Once mainly associated with threats against public figures, synthetic media crimes now increasingly target private citizens through various schemes such as investment fraud, impersonation, romance scams, sextortion, deepfake pornography, and disinformation campaigns. Scammers might, for example, initiate a video call claiming to be a colleague requesting a bank transfer or pretend to be a distressed relative. Previous reports have highlighted that criminal groups use AI for cybercrime and fraud activities.
Common warning signs are fading away
Toshinobu Yasuhira, who serves as Director of the INTERPOL Innovation Centre, stated that “AI is erasing the tell-tale signs of a scam,” noting that indicators like spelling errors, inconsistent branding, and awkward formatting are rapidly disappearing as red flags. Yasuhira pointed out that anyone, regardless of age, location, or profession, can fall prey to such schemes. INTERPOL’s efforts aim to equip both law enforcement and the public with the knowledge and tools necessary to recognize these threats before they cause harm. Additionally, UNICEF has separately linked children’s use of AI to risks related to learning and safety.
The organization stressed that these scams primarily aim to steal money or sensitive personal information. They highlighted several warning signs, such as unsolicited contact from unknown individuals or those claiming to be friends, relatives, or trusted organizations. Victims are often coerced into immediate action by claims of personal crises or family emergencies. Scammers also rely on fear, distress, or demands for secrecy to prevent targets from seeking advice from others. Requests for payments via wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards are additional red flags.
Recommendations include using safe words and two-factor authentication
INTERPOL issued warnings about online relationships that escalate rapidly, with declarations of love and emotional dependence, which may be used to manipulate targets. Such targets might be encouraged to shift conversations away from official dating platforms to evade monitoring and reporting. The agency advises individuals to remain calm and skeptical, even if they believe they are speaking with someone trustworthy. It is recommended to hang up on unsolicited calls and verify the person’s identity through a known, secure channel. Consulting others about the situation is also encouraged.
Furthermore, INTERPOL recommends families and close friends agree on a secret word or question to confirm identities during suspicious calls, and to scrutinize the online profiles of new contacts, ensuring that profile photos are not sourced from elsewhere. Activating two-factor authentication on all online accounts is also strongly advised. This campaign is part of Project SynthWave PLUS, funded by the Government of Japan, which supports law enforcement efforts across Southeast Asia and beyond to combat threats associated with synthetic media.