Singapore’s prime minister issues warning following deepfake crypto video with him

Singapore’s prime minister Lee Hsien Loong warned the public about a deepfake video, depicting him promoting a crypto scam ‘envisioned by Elon Musk.’

In an X post on Dec. 29, Singapore‘s prime minister Lee Hsien Loong has issued a public warning that addressed the emergence of deepfake videos depicting him promoting crypto scams with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) to mimic his voice and image.

Recently, there have been a number of audio deepfake videos that use AI technology to mimic my voice to promote crypto scams. If you see or receive these scams promising guaranteed returns on investments or ‘giveaways’, please do not respond to them! – LHL https://t.co/pv1Vl6euAc pic.twitter.com/ogPlEeYWzw

— leehsienloong (@leehsienloong) December 29, 2023

The prime minister emphasized the scammers’ use of AI to manipulate genuine footage from official events into convincing yet entirely fabricated videos.

The Singapore official emphasized that scammers transform authentic footage from official events into highly convincing yet entirely fabricated videos, such as one featuring an altered interview on CGTN where he discusses a non-existent “transformative investment platform envisioned by Elon Musk.” He also urged the public to refrain from responding to such scam videos promising guaranteed returns on investments or giveaways.

“If you see or receive these scams promising guaranteed returns on investments or ‘giveaways’, please do not respond to them!”

Lee Hsien Loong

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The prime minister noted in a Facebook post that the use of deepfake technology to spread disinformation “will continue to grow.” This is not the first time the prime minister appears under the radar of scammers. In July, Lee Hsien Loong warned the public about scammers who were trying to capitalize on his image after a fake crypto video with him surfaced on the Internet.

In 2018, the government of Singapore also issued warnings to the public, urging caution regarding Bitcoin (BTC) investments falsely claiming endorsement or support from Lee Hsien Loong. The fraudsters were reported to create fake social media profiles in an attempt to deceive potential victims. The recurrent targeting of the prime minister underscores the challenges posed by advanced technologies in the realm of misinformation and financial scams.

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