AI Scam Glossary

Deepfake scam

AI-generated impersonation scam · synthetic media scam

A deepfake scam uses AI-generated or altered audio, video, images, or text to impersonate a trusted person and make a fraudulent request seem real.

What it means

Deepfakes can include a face-swapped video call, a cloned voice note, or an image used as false evidence. Visual or audio artifacts may help, but they change quickly, so identity should be verified through a separate trusted channel.

How to protect yourself

  • Treat media as a claim, not proof of identity.
  • Confirm high-stakes requests outside the conversation.
  • Use private codewords or a mandatory callback rule.

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Deepfake scam — Trust Onion, September 17, 2026. https://trustonion.io/glossary/deepfake-scam