A woman recently received a frantic call from her “son” saying he needed money after an accident. The voice sounded exactly like him — same tone, same urgency. But it wasn’t him at all. It was an AI‑generated deepfake.
Scams like this are rising fast. Criminals are using AI‑altered images, videos, and audio to impersonate loved ones, celebrities, and even law enforcement, making it harder to tell what’s real.
How to Tell If Something Is a Deepfake
When you’re not sure if what you’re seeing or hearing is real, look closely for small but important inconsistencies:
- Visual clues:
- Faces that appear blurry, warped, or overly smooth
- Strange blinking patterns — too much, too little, or none at all
- Hair, teeth, or skin textures that look unnatural or “off”
- Shadows or lighting that don’t match the rest of the scene
- Lips that don’t line up with the words being spoken
- Audio clues
- A voice that sounds flat, robotic, or emotionless
- Timing issues between audio and video
- Unnatural pauses or strange speech rhythms
If something doesn’t feel quite right, trust that instinct. It may be a deepfake created to try to gain your trust.
Stay Safe with These Tips
- Stop and think: Is someone pressuring or scaring you into acting fast?
- Verify: Use official numbers and trusted websites to double-check requests.
- Set family codewords: A simple phrase can confirm someone’s identity.
- Limit what you post: Photos and videos help scammers create deepfakes.
- Don’t repost blindly: Only share images or videos from reliable sources.
The bottom line is to watch for unexpected requests for money or personal details, weird requests made with urgency, odd or uncharacteristic behavior by someone you know, and strange calls or video chats just feel wrong.
If you believe you’ve encountered a scam or accidentally shared information, contact your local police department, report it to the FBI at IC3.gov, and notify your bank immediately is money was sent.