Why this matters: AI can clone voices and faces to mimic family, leaders, or brands. Scammers use these fakes to rush you into paying money, sharing codes, or clicking dangerous links.
What Is a Deepfake?
A deepfake is an AI-generated video or audio that convincingly imitates a real person. On WhatsApp or Facebook, criminals may send a fake voice note or video call that looks and sounds like someone you trust—pushing you to act quickly.
Common Deepfake Scam Scenarios
- Family emergency: “Send money now, I’m in trouble.” (fake voice/video)
- Boss/NGO request: “Approve this urgent payment or buy gift cards.”
- Celebrity/brand giveaway: “You’ve won—just pay a small fee.”
- Crypto investment pitch: Cloned influencers promising huge returns.
How to Verify Before You Trust
Cross-check Call back using a saved/official number—not the one that contacted you.
Challenge Ask a question only the real person knows (“Which cousin visited us last month?”).
Delay Deepfakes push urgency. Pause, breathe, verify.
Compare Look for lip-sync lag, unnatural blinking, odd lighting/shadows.
Trace Reverse-search profile photos; check the account creation date & history.
Official For payments/aid, verify via the organisation’s website or office numbers.
Protect Yourself & Family (Incl. Elders)
- Set a family passphrase for emergencies; never act without it.
- Use app-based 2FA on email, social, and banking—avoid SMS where possible.
- Tighten privacy: limit who can view your posts, friends, and phone number.
- Educate elders: show examples of fake voice notes and “urgent” scams.
- Update phone/apps; enable login alerts and review devices regularly.
If You Think You Were Targeted
- Stop: Don’t pay or share codes. Take screenshots and save the audio/video.
- Verify: Call the real person/office using a known number.
- Secure accounts: Change passwords, enable 2FA, revoke unknown sessions.
- Report: Flag the content to WhatsApp/Facebook; notify local cyber authorities.
- Warn contacts: Let friends/family know to ignore similar messages.
Red Flags of Deepfakes
- Unnatural blinking, lip-sync mismatch, or robotic cadence.
- Strange lighting or edges around the face/hair.
- Urgent requests for money, codes, or private info.
- New accounts with few friends, posts, or history.
Helpful Tools (Use Responsibly)
- Reverse image search (TinEye/Google Images) for profile pictures.
- Video metadata analyzers and audio forensics (basic checks for edits).
- Fact-checking sites and official brand pages for announcements.
Tip: If a message triggers fear or excitement, that’s your cue to slow down and verify.