Deepfake video of Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou used to push crypto scam

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The information displayed in the AIM should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its member countries.

Scammers used an AI-generated deepfake video of Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou in social media ads to promote 'easyProfit', a bogus cryptocurrency and forex scheme promising up to 96% returns. easyGroup warns the impersonation is fraudulent and urges the public to avoid registration and investment on the linked websites.[AI generated]

Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?

The use of AI to create a deceptive video that impersonates a public figure to promote a fraudulent investment scheme directly leads to harm by misleading and potentially financially harming individuals. The AI system's role in generating the fake video is pivotal to the scam's operation. Therefore, this qualifies as an AI Incident due to realized harm from the AI-generated fraudulent content.[AI generated]
AI principles
AccountabilityTransparency & explainabilityPrivacy & data governanceSafetyRespect of human rightsRobustness & digital security

Industries
Media, social platforms, and marketingFinancial and insurance servicesDigital security

Affected stakeholders
ConsumersBusiness

Harm types
Economic/PropertyReputational

Severity
AI incident

Business function:
Marketing and advertisement

AI system task:
Content generation


Articles about this incident or hazard

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Η easyGroup προειδοποιεί για απάτη με παραπλανητικό βίντεο που χρησιμοποιεί ψευδώς το όνομα και την εικόνα του Σερ Στέλιου Χατζηιωάννου

2025-03-21
tothemaonline.com
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The use of AI to create a deceptive video that impersonates a public figure to promote a fraudulent investment scheme directly leads to harm by misleading and potentially financially harming individuals. The AI system's role in generating the fake video is pivotal to the scam's operation. Therefore, this qualifies as an AI Incident due to realized harm from the AI-generated fraudulent content.
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Η easyGroup προειδοποιεί για παραπλανητικό βίντεο, προϊόν τεχνητής νοημοσύνης

2025-03-21
Dialogos
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
An AI system was used to create a deceptive video that impersonates a real person to scam individuals into investing in a fake company, which constitutes direct harm to people by attempting to defraud them of their savings. This meets the criteria of an AI Incident because the AI-generated content is central to the harm occurring (fraud and financial loss).
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ΠΡΟΣΟΧΗ: Απάτη στο όνομα του Σερ Στέλιου Χατζηιωάννου σχετικά με κρυπτονομίσματα

2025-03-21
Ηλεκτρονική Πύλη ikypros
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The event involves an AI system generating a deceptive video that impersonates a real person to promote a fraudulent investment scheme. The AI-generated content is central to the harm, as it misleads people into potentially losing money, fulfilling the criteria for harm to persons (financial harm) caused directly by the AI system's use. Hence, it qualifies as an AI Incident rather than a hazard or complementary information.
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Κυκλοφορεί fake βίντεο με τον Σερ Στέλιο Χατζηιωάννου - Εξαπατούν με κρυπτονομίσματα-συνάλλαγμα

2025-03-21
cyprustimes.com
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The article explicitly states that the fake video is a product of artificial intelligence and is used in a scam to deceive people into investing in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme. This constitutes a direct AI Incident because the AI-generated content is central to the harm caused—financial fraud and deception of the public. The harm is realized as the scam is active and misleading consumers, fulfilling the criteria for an AI Incident under violations of rights and harm to communities through fraudulent activity.