Last update: 09/10/2025

Deepfakes are becoming more common and cybercriminals are using them to steal private information and trick you into sending money to fake accounts. Here’s how to protect yourself against this type of scam.

A deepfake is a video, image or audio file that has been altered to impersonating someone. With artificial intelligence (AI), criminals can copy a person’s face or voice to make it seem like someone is saying or doing something they didn’t actually do.

At first, deepfakes were just for fun, but today scammers are using them to target people and businesses.

To explain the danger of deepfakes, we’ve chosen a very popular impersonation case, the tale of Little Red Riding Hood, where the “wolf” pretends to be the grandma. Today’s “wolves” are no longer in the forest. They’re on your devices, using videos and calls that look and sound real to impersonate someone you trust, such as a family member or your bank.

1. Don’t rely on the phone number or profile picture
   Scammers can spoof phone numbers and steal profile photos to make a fake call look real.
   
   
2. Don’t trust personal details alone
   Criminals may know your birthday, address or other private information from the internet or data leaks. That doesn’t prove the call is genuine.
   
   
3. Have a secret phrase
   Agree on a special word or phrase with trusted people. If the caller doesn’t know it, be suspicious.
   
   
4. Stay calm
   Scammers often try to create a sense of urgency. They might pretend to be a loved one in trouble and ask you to send money quickly.
   
   
5. Stop, think and verify
   Don’t always trust what you see or hear. Check using the contact details you already have.